


Mistakes and Broken Promises

by Jentrevellan



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-10
Updated: 2014-03-10
Packaged: 2018-08-23 07:03:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 35,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8318401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jentrevellan/pseuds/Jentrevellan
Summary: 1st anime based, takes place during and after the movie. What happened if, before Ed returned to the other side, did Ed and Winry share an intimate moment together? What about Winry when Ed is gone? What if...he left some things behind he didn't know?





	1. Forget Me

This was stupid.

He was stupid. She was stupid. Damn, the whole world and the adjacent one were stupid. She had let him leave again and now she knew that he was never coming back. Damn that idiot! No it wasn't just him that was stupid; it was her too.

She had attached his automail quickly in the heat of the battle but it still needed some adjustments. Winry ran her fingers through her hair as she watched Edward's back disappear in pursuit of the strange flying machine in the sky. She bit her lip as she tried to ignore the pain that filled her heart as she saw him leave again. Winry found her feet moving forward and without realising it, she was running desperately, a confused Schiezka following her at her heels.

"Winry, where are we going?" she panted, struggling to keep up with Winry.

An incredible bang made them both stop in their tracks as the ground beneath them and up above shook violently. Winry gritted her teeth and started to climb the stairs even faster ignoring Schiezka's complaints. When she got the surface, she felt the adrenaline rush through her as she saw collapsed buildings and smoke in the sky. Gunfire filled her ears as she ran down the streets. It was incredibly foolish, that she knew, but her legs continued to carry her forward at a pace that was unknown to her. As she ran, she remembered their brief and fleeting hug. How she had wanted to never pull away from his arms. She remembered his flesh arm nervously touching her and the way their cheeks brushed, a few salty tears clinging to her face. What she would have given to lightly kiss him, to show how much she had missed him over the last two years. But no, there was work to do and he needed her skills as an automail mechanic; nothing more, nothing less.

Heading towards the source of the gunfire, she suddenly found herself outside the headquarters. She stared as she saw a balloon rise high into the sky with a dark haired man standing in the basket. Her eyes fell to the ground where she saw Lieutenant Hawkeye being restrained, screaming at the top of her lungs to the man. Winry ran towards the screaming Hawkeye who twisted in Armstrong's arms and gently placed a soothing hand on the woman's arm.

Riza stopped moving and gently pushed herself away from Armstrong, straightening her uniform. "Liar," she whispered and turned away to find Winry stood next to her. "Winry? What are you doing here?"

"Where's Ed and Al?" she asked, trying to banish the tears that welled in her eyes. Riza looked up and pointed to the sky where a balloon was flying. Suddenly, from the top of a building, the stone moved shooting upwards with two figures on top; electric blue alchemy flying around.

"What's that?" called Schiezka, who had finally managed to catch Winry up.

A smile touched Winry's lips along with a small fire of burning hope inside her. "It's Ed!" she replied.

The balloon caught up with them and Winry, Riza and Schiezka watched both in fear and wonder as the three alchemists attacked the plane. Alchemy filled the sky and after long and tense minutes and exchanged glances, the aircraft eventually glided down to the ground, unsuccessfully crashing in the street. Three figures came out of the door, all of which had a few cuts and bruises on them. Riza straightened and with a few other soldiers, ran over to receive orders from Roy Mustang, who leaned heavily on Riza when she had reached him.

Winry watched as Edward leaned on his younger brother, blood on his face. Her pulse raced and she ran over to the brothers, putting Edward's automail arm around her neck as she helped Al to carry him.

"I need to...close the gate... more soldiers..." Edward rasped as he tried to escape their grips.

Winry held on tighter, as did Al. "Don't worry about that for now brother; the Colonel is setting up a guard to slow down any more ships that pass through..."

He sighed in defeat and let himself be led to the steps of the headquarters where the fighting had ceased momentarily. He sat down heavily, and Winry glanced at his automail, noticing that it had already been mistreated. She fought the argument that flared inside her as she saw his real arm bleeding and his eyes were closed.

"You look shattered, Ed," she said as she inspected the bleeding on his arm and then scrutinized the cut on his forehead.

He looked up at her through his bangs. "Yeah well when I left the other world, it was the middle of the night," he admitted. He glanced around at the sky and noticed that the light was beginning to fade. He grimaced at the thought that he probably hadn't slept for over twenty-four hours now.

Winry clicked her tongue and exchanged a glance with Al who was looking at his brother with concern. "You need to go to bed and I need to check out your wounds," Winry concluded. She turned to Schiezka who was right at her shoulder.

Before Winry could utter a word, the bespectacled woman spoke quickly. "You can stay at my place if you want!" she said excitedly. "It's just a few streets away and I've got plenty of guest rooms."

Winry nodded her thanks and ignored Edward's protests as her and Al lifted him to his feet again. "I don't need anywhere to stay...I need to help with the gate..." he muttered irritably as he walked with their support.

"Don't be silly brother; you're dead on your feet. We can always help in the morning," Al said, silencing his older brother.

Edward walked uncomfortably as he limped a little due to his automail leg being a little twisted. Winry gritted her teeth in sympathy for she knew that the twisted automail would be causing a terrible strain on his nerves and leg muscles. She silently scolded herself at her creation and decided that she would edit her design quickly when she was clearing up Edward's wounds.

They slowly reached the small house and Edward brushed off Winry and Al as he climbed the stairs to her house on his own, pulling himself up with the rail. He successfully made it to the top and then confidently yet slowly walked through the door into the cluttered house. Schiezka motioned that there were free rooms upstairs as she headed off into the kitchen and started work on some dinner; Al following her as he offered to help cook.

"Let me clean up your wounds now and I'll sort out your automail after we've eaten," Winry stated, as Edward sat down in an armchair.

He nodded his head and closed his eyes, resting his head in his flesh hand. Winry found a small first aid box in the upstairs bathroom cabinet and proceeded to tidy him up and wipe away the blood. His eyes remained closed the whole time as Winry's hands danced around his flesh, and only opened them when she was trying to clean the wound on his forehead. "Your hands are soft," he muttered, gazing up at her sleepily.

Winry felt her breath catch in her throat as her hands hesitated on his head. They stared at each other for a moment, before Winry pulled her eyes away and focused on the task at hand of halting the bleeding. She curtly nodded her head and continued to dab at the gash.

"'Cause you would think that your hands would be rough with all of the metal work you do..." he murmured, his eyes drooping.

Winry tried to ignore his words but found it impossible as her head started to try and decipher what he was saying. Surely that was a compliment? She chuckled silently as he fell asleep in the arm chair. When she was finished, she stood up and packed the equipment away in a little first aid box. She left it at the bottom of the stairs and headed to the kitchen where she could smell dinner. She paused in the doorway and glanced back in the chair. Edward had reclined slightly and his head was thrown back; his mouth wide open (complete with drool), and his hand was resting on his stomach which was slightly exposed. She smiled a little and then headed into the kitchen where Schiezka was dishing up dinner.

Small talk plagued the conversations and Winry couldn't help but let her eyes trace back to the door which led to the room that Edward was sleeping. Any moment she was hoping he would lazily walk through the door, scratching his head and searching for some food with his nose leading him. The leftovers were put in a bowl that was covered with a cloth which was for Edward. They were all tired, so Al retired to bed, soon followed by Schiezka who was selecting a book to take up to bed with her.

When they had retired for the night, Winry walked back into the main room and glanced at all of the books that lined the walls in organised piles. After glancing at a few covers, she picked one book up and then settled down on the sofa; Edward's light snores quietly filling the room. She had begun reading some sickly romance novel and quickly disposed of it when the text became overwhelmingly unrealistic and laughable. She picked up another book that was on the coffee table and became immersed in a story about a woman who was raped and then fell pregnant and was disowned by her family.

"Winry..." a voice choked. She looked up to see Edward leaning forward and rubbing his eyes.

She smiled and put her book down next to her. "Did you sleep alright? You might want to head up to bed; I doubt that armchair was very comfortable," she chuckled as he rubbed his neck.

He nodded and attempted to push himself up and wobbled, nearly losing his balance. Winry ran forward and grabbed his arm and put it around her shoulders.

"Come on you clumsy thing," she laughed, noticing a red tinge in his cheeks. Slowly they climbed the stairs and Winry pushed the door open to the remaining guest room which was hers. She had been staying with Schiezka ever since she came to Central in search of Al. All of her equipment was here, so after flicking the lights on and showing a limping Edward to the bed, she began to arrange her tools.

She heard him strip down to his boxers as usual and she pulled an apron on to cover her blouse. She brought a small tray across with the required tools and flicked the bedside table light on. Edward remained silent as she started her work, carefully inspecting every bolt and screw. The minutes ticked by slowly and Winry felt her concentration falter as she tried to diverge her attention away from the muscles on his chest and stomach. She exhaled in annoyance and managed to complete the finishing touches on his arm. Silently, she moved down to the end of the bed and began to inspect his leg, which was slightly twisted. Her thumbs pressed along the skin that connected with the metal, trying to get a reaction out of Edward. When he grunted a little, she glanced up to see him biting his lip. She understood that the area she had just prodded was the area that needed a closer examination.

"Ed, I'm really sorry, but I am going to have to take the leg off and put it back on again, once I've had a good look at it," she said, standing up and stretching.

He nodded and closed his eyes. "Just get it over with," he mumbled, his arm covering his eyes.

Winry nodded curtly and quickly detached the limb and moved it under the main light so she could have a good look at it. Immediately she could see that one of the barrels had twisted which had resulted in his limp, but also there were a few scratches and dents, which made her assume that her automail wasn't entirely to blame of the pain it was causing. Deciding that a lecture on automail care would be inappropriate, she simply fixed the leg in silence and then re-attached it carefully.

"Ok, it's done," she sighed, wiping her hands on a cloth and quickly putting her equipment away.

"Winry...come here," Edward mumbled from the bed.

Pausing in her tracks, Winry turned and pulled off her apron, throwing it into an armchair. She sat down next to him on the bed. There were several minutes of uncomfortable silence as they just sat next to each other. Winry's mind raced, but stilled at the thought that this might be the last time she would see him.

"You're going away," she said, not as a question.

He shifted beside her. "I have to."

"I know. I'm glad I got to say goodbye to you," she replied.

"Goodbyes are so...final," he said quietly, looking at the floor.

"Well isn't this final?" she hissed and then fell into silence. Turning to him, she lightly touched his flesh hand that was resting in his lap. "Just don't forget me, ok?" she whispered.

His eyes turned to face her. She found it very difficult to read them, for they concealed so many secrets, although at the moment, she could tell that they were confused. He leant forwards a little, his eyes flicking between hers and her lips. She did the same and before she knew it. She felt his lips lightly touch her own. They pulled away much too soon, and Winry closed her eyes biting her lip. Her mind screamed at her to get up, walk away and never look back. Her heart beat heavily in her chest and as soon as she was about to lean forwards to ignore her mind and kiss him again; his lips crashed onto her own making her gasp. He kissed lips over and over again and she did not stop him.

Her tongue lightly traced his lip and his mouth opened to let her in. Gasping, she moved closer to him and he enclosed his arms around her as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He gently pushed her down onto the bed and he began to tug at her clothes, his hands fumbling with her buttons on her shirt. She pulled on his belt and their clothes fell to the floor. Their eyes traced each other, both of them self-conscious, until Winry reached up and pulled him to her, wrapping her long legs around him.

Shivering under his touch, Winry let her hands roam all over him and his arms wrapped around her; the cold metal harsh on her flushed skin. They discovered each other and silently realised that neither of them were kids anymore, but had become adults over the past two years. They were not hormonal teenagers anymore but hormonal young adults. Winry's hands were spread like stars on Edward's back as they rocked, gasped and breathed together. She kept her eyes open the whole time and he kept his open too; their gazes always locked. In the dead of the night they whispered each other's names.

When they had climaxed together and collapsed into each other, Edward wiped away the hair off her sweaty face and kissed her long and hard, remaining inside her. When he hesitantly slipped out of her, they both sat up on the end of the bed. Winry tucked her legs up to her chest in a fetal position and rested her head on the top of her knees, trying to hold back a sob. Edward got up and flicked the light off and then came and sat down next to her. After a few moments he took her hand and squeezed it. Winry rested her head on his shoulder and sighed, and became angry when silent tears escaped from her eyes. He looked at her through the darkness and sighed deeply.

"Please don't cry," he mumbled.

"I trying," she replied strongly, but the tears wouldn't cease.

"You know, I am glad that I meant something to you other than my automail. My human parts are interesting too, aren't they?" he said.

She chuckled and lay down on the bed. "I have always found you interesting in general," she sighed.

He lay down next to her and they climbed under the duvet as the chill of the night began to surround them. They looked at each other through the dark canopy of night, and in the distance, a few gun shots could be heard. He rested his flesh hand on her warm cheek.

"I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow," he whispered honestly.

Winry swallowed and nodded. "I understand that," she said slowly.

"Do you...Winry do you love me?" he asked suddenly.

Winry's eyes widened and a blush crept to her cheeks. After a moment she let her lips fall on his and then she reluctantly pulled away. "I always have, always will," she replied.

"I love you too," he mumbled looking away. Her throat caught, and this time she sobbed into his chest.

"At least I know before you go," she said.

"Don't look for me," Edward said swiftly.

There was silence as a trickle of anger bubbled up inside her. It looked like he had already made up his mind.

"I'll wait," she said and he flinched and looked away. Winry tried to ignore the feeling of dread inside her, but instead remembered something. She sat up quickly and leant over the side of the bed where her trousers lay on the floor. She reached inside the pocket.

"What are you doing?" Edward asked.

Her hand gripped something cold and she pulled it out. Her hand opened in front of him to reveal his silver pocket watch. She flicked it open easily and showed him the engraving in the side.

"I thought you might want it back. Soldiers in Leore found it in the rubble," she said simply.

He took it in his hands and lay back down, his eyes tracing the engraved letters. After a moment, he snapped it shut and forced it back into hand.

"You keep it," he said strongly, his jaw set.

She nodded and put it on the bedside table, and then settled down next to him. His arm snaked around her and she kissed his mouth, blinking back tears and then rolled over to try and let sleep come to her, but she was desperate to stay awake to enjoy his company. He wrapped his arm around her, his torso pressed to her back and his breathing slowed and soon Winry's eyes drooped and she fell asleep.

She was sure that he felt him go. So sure that she felt a light kiss on her forehead. Sure she felt a drip on her cheek. Her eyes snapped open and Winry saw the room was empty. Her clothes had been folded and placed on the armchair in the corner of the room and the curtains had been opened. She was still naked, and she slowly climbed out of the bed and pulled her clothes on, only then did her eyes fall to the pocket watch on the bedside table, where a little note sat.

' _forget me, Winry'_ , it said, in Edward's rather neat scrawl.

Winry placed her head in her hands and took a deep breath. She then snatched the watch and the note and stuffed them into her pocket and pulled on her jacket, quickly brushing her hair. She ran down the stair and glanced at the clock on the wall, noticing that it was a few minutes after six. She turned on her heel and ran back up the stairs and knocked on the room that Edward and Alphonse were supposed to have been sharing. After no answer, she opened the door to find it empty, as if nobody had stayed there for a month.

Moving down the corridor, Winry banged on Schiezka's door and burst into her room, making the sleepy be speckled woman sit up suddenly.

"They're gone!" Winry said.

Schiezka pulled her military clothes on and together they ran out onto the empty streets. Winry ran as fast as she could towards the headquarters where a select amount of soldiers stood guard. She approached one of them and shook his arm.

"Please, I need to see Colonel Roy Mustang!" she said quickly.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but he is closing the gate in the underground city and nobody is permitted to-" the solider said, but Winry had already turned on her heel and was making her way to one of the passages that led to the underground city.

Nearly tripping several times, Winry raced down the steps to the hidden city and searched the city from her higher up vantage point. She saw flames erupt from one part of the city and began to run towards it, ignoring Schiezka's complaints. Winry ran around the corner of a derelict building and halted in her tracks to see Mustang destroying the gate but snapping his fingers. She ran forwards and Hawkeye grabbed her by the shoulders to stop her going any further. Winry gasped, she hadn't seen Hawkeye appear at all.

"Has he...? Ed?" Winry panted, looking up at Hawkeye.

The stern woman nodded and glanced at Mustang. "Ed has gone to the other side to close the gate. And Al is missing, which means that he went with him," Hawkeye said gently.

Winry shook her head and watched as the gate finally disappeared.

"That means they can't ever come back, doesn't it?" she whispered.

Mustang collapsed to the floor, making Hawkeye let go of Winry and run towards him. Winry followed and watched as he passed out on the floor from exhaustion. Her eyes darted to the remains of the gate, knowing exactly what Edward had done. Her knees buckled and even though she had a strong thought that he was going to do this; it was still a shock that he had left her behind, and this time it was for good.


	2. Complications

Winry headed back to Resembool a month after the gate had been sealed. She climbed off the train with an empty suitcase and slowly made her way up the grassy slope towards her home. The sun was just setting and blazes of orange covered the sky, and the birds sang one final song before retreating for the night. The gravel path crunched under her dirty white boots as the soft yellow house came ever closer, and Den's barking greeted her as she stepped onto the decking. She gently pushed the door open to be greeted by the joyful dog, which jumped up and down at Winry's return home.

_Home._

This had been their home too: for them to come back to whenever they needed to, not that they had really needed to. The thought was pushed from her mind as she lay her suitcase down on a sofa and went into the kitchen where her grandmother was standing on a stool by the worktop peeling come potatoes in her small hands. She turned abruptly when she heard Winry's boots clink on the wooden floor.

"Winry dear!" she cried, getting down from the stool and moving over to give her a hug, which Winry gratefully returned. "I didn't expect to see you back so soon...how many am I cooking for tonight?" she asked, peering around her.

Winry felt her throat catch, but just swallowed and answered as politely as she could. "Just the two of us tonight, Granny," she said; her voice sounding stronger than she felt.

Pinako looked up into Winry's face caught in the setting sun's shadow. She smiled. "Well all the more for us then, eh?" she said, patting Winry's arm and then turning away to carry on preparing dinner.

Winry left the kitchen, went back into the living room, picked up her suitcase and made her way upstairs to her room. She threw the suitcase down on the bed and walked over to the window where she gazed at the red horizon. Her eyes followed some birds that played in the sky and then landed in a burnt up and dead tree. Reluctantly, she looked at the remains of the Elric house that once stood there five years ago. The tree remained dead and the ashes of the house and the black bricks were untouched except from the soft caress of the rain.

She turned away from the window and went to her wardrobe to change into a clean set of clothes. Kicking off her white boots and taking off her jacket, Winry's hands slipped as they touched the buttons of her blouse. Images from a month ago came flooding back into her mind and she let them dance in her mind, even though she could feel her face heating up in embarrassment at what they had done together. She shook her head – why should she be embarrassed? It had been wonderful – clumsy, painful yet wonderful.

Over dinner, Winry was grateful that her grandmother did not ask any questions about what had happened and why she had returned home without the brothers. They exchanged in polite conversation, and Pinako was quite content on telling Winry about some of the new neighbours across the field who had just moved to the village. Winry played with her food but listened to everything her grandmother had to say, and when prompted, she gave a quiet and reasonable response. She excused herself from the table early and went to bed, where sleep came easily to her, yet he dreams were troubled.

On the second day of being home, Winry rose early and took a cold shower. Dawn was just breaking and her grandmother was still asleep. She went downstairs and fed Den and made herself a quick cup of coffee as she waited for the dog to finish her breakfast. Together, Winry and Den went for an early morning walk around Resembool, where Winry decided to clear up her thoughts once and for all. She let her feet guide her to the remains of the Elric house, and she walked around the ashes, occasionally kicking the dirt and touching some of the rubble left behind. This was the day that she was finally going to get closure on those two – there was no more hope of them returning, no more hope of Edward coming back to see her, no other chance that they would be together. They were never meant to be and yet somehow, she had known that from the beginning.

Her eyes filled with tears, yet she did not let them fall and she swore she would not cry. Enough tears had been spilt over him and how she hated to be seen as a weepy widow. She laughed darkly at that thought – how ironic! She wiped her eyes and patted Den on the head who was looking up at her with big sad eyes. Kneeling down, she wrapped her arms around the dog's neck and took a deep shuddering breath. This was it – now was the time to move on: they weren't ever coming back.

That day, Pinako asked Winry to tell her what had happened. Winry told her everything, except what had happened between her and Edward, and during her whole re-telling, she did not shed one tear, nor did she feel herself close up – in fact, she felt no emotion at all. The rest of the day, she began working on a few new automail designs and threw all of her designs for Edward's new arm and leg in the bin.

But no matter how hard she tried, she could not get rid of their presence that resided in this house. Every time she looked out the window, Winry saw a tree where they had sat under when they were children and the small apple bush near the house, where they had reached up together and picked them for their mothers, before all of the troubles started. On her day of change, Winry did the last thing that was going to be difficult for her – she went into the guest room where the brothers had always stayed. She pulled open the curtains, letting the sun warm the room and specks of dust rose in the air. She pushed open the window and changed the sheets on the bed. She opened the wardrobe and chest of draws and pulled all of the clothes out and threw them in a big pile on the floor. They were Edward's clothes, and all of them were most certainly too small for him. She had smiled when she had seen that they were exactly the same height now, maybe just a little taller.

Later that afternoon, Winry went to the train station with a bag full of Edward's old clothes. She dumped the bag off at the train station saying that she wanted these to be sent to the Ishvalan slums for the children and teenagers to wear. They were good clothes at the end of the day. Then she turned on her heel and went back to the house and assigned herself new automail projects.

The house felt different the longer she stayed there – it no longer felt like home. It was during the second week of being back, did she rise for the post and pause when she saw a newspaper on the door mat. She carefully picked up a copy of The Central Times and unfolded it, to see a large photo of Edward on the machine that had been flying in the sky. The photograph took up most of the front page and a large headline boasted the rest of the page: THE FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST – WHERE IS HE NOW?

Curiously, she went into the kitchen and sat down at the table, turning to page five in the paper to read the article. She skimmed most of it as it was mainly filled with rumours and accusations about the state and the government. Her eyes narrowed on a short interview with Mustang, saying that he had been reinstated back into the military with his old rank as Colonel had refused to comment about the events in the underground city. It was also mentioned shortly that he had spent a brief spell in hospital after the destruction of the gate.

A letter arrived for the next day and she peeled the envelope open. In a neat scrawl with a military stamp at the bottom, her eyes widened when she realised that it was from Colonel Mustang:

_Dear Winry,_

_I am writing to wish you well and I hope that you are dealing with everything alright. I would like to apologise for what I did, but I had no other choice – Ed was sure it was the only way to protect both worlds from killing each other. But I do wonder if he thinks he can protect them forever._

_You have every right to hate me, and I would not stop you from doing so. Keep yourself safe._

_Colonel Roy Mustang_

Winry put down the letter down gently on the table, her expression blank. Her eyes drifted up to the notice board on the wall, to the photos pinned there. The newspaper lay on the table near her where Edward's picture stood out in the black and white photo. She got some scissors and cut the picture out of the paper and then took one of the pictures off the notice board – it was a photo of the three of them a week before the brothers had attempted their taboo.

Opening a suitcase, Winry carefully selected some clothes and packed away all of her possessions, tucking the photographs neatly in her pocket. She picked up the silver pocket watch off her bedside table and threw it on her suitcase and then went down to the workshop where she collected all of her blue-prints and designs and also put them in the suitcase. Adding a few essentials, she sealed her case, tied her hair up, put her shoes and jacket on and went to see her grandmother in the garden. On the way, she picked up the letter off the table and stuffed it in her handbag and took one last look at the surroundings before entering the garden where Pinako was watering some flowers.

"Ah, are you going dear?" she asked, looking up at Winry's soft steps on the grass.

"I'm going to Rush Valley, Granny," she said, lifting her chin up. "I can't stay here much longer, but if you ever need me, I can be on the first train back to Resembool," she said sadly. The she knelt down and hugged her grandmother tightly.

"You'll love Rush Valley – make the Rockbell name proud!" she smiled through her teary eyes.

Winry nodded, said one final good bye and then walked down the grassy hill towards the train station, not looking back once.

The train journey was smooth and Winry fell asleep at one point. With the change in her purse, she happily bought herself a sweet treat off the food cart when it went past and watched the fields slip past her as she gazed out of the window. It was in the evening when she finally arrived at Rush Valley, and the air was humid, even though summer was ending soon. She found lodgings in a small hotel for the night and curiously asked the receptionist where she should go to find a job as an apprentice. The woman behind the desk looked at her curiously through her glasses and then wrote down the details of a few shops that were recruiting.

Winry spent the following day asking about working in all of them, and all of them looked at her curiously too before saying that they would contact her at the hotel tomorrow. Feeling slightly dishevelled, Winry went back to the hotel early and ate a lonely meal in her hotel room before picking up an alchemy book and curiously reading through it.

It came as a surprise to her when she head knocking at her hotel room door the next morning. She rose and wrapped a dressing gown around her and curiously opened the door.

"Yes?" she said sleepily.

A hotel clerk stood before her, sweat on his face. "There are a few people here to see you and they are causing a lot of trouble," he said.

Winry frowned, slowly waking up. "Here to see me?" she asked.

"Yes, now could you see them please? They are rather loud," the clerk said.

She nodded, closed the door and quickly threw on some clothes and ran a comb through her hair. When she went downstairs she saw all of the automail engineers she had seen yesterday and they were all arguing with each other, making the receptionist look particularly uneasy and the passing guests frown in annoyance.

"Can I help you?" she asked nervously.

They all stopped their bickering and looked at her.

"Please come and work for me, Miss Winry!" One of them called.

"No, work for me! You would be a perfect apprentice!"

"I would pay you double for what they are offering" another one called, making them all start to argue again.

Winry pressed her hands to her forehead and gently massaged it. This was a shock: things hadn't seemed good yesterday and here were all of her potential employers fighting over her! She glanced at each one of them, trying to remember their shop, their wage and their renown. She raised her hands and shouted.

"Alright!" she yelled, making them stop their bickering. "I need to work for someone who can offer me lodgings too," she said. "If you can't, then please leave; you're concerning the staff in this hotel."

A few of them tried to make excuses but Winry knew that she needed somewhere to live and work. She shook her head and half of the mechanics turned and walked away. There were five left to choose from. She studied each of their faces and her gaze fell onto a feminine man who wore lipstick and had short black hair. He smiled at her and she smiled back, remembering that this was Mr Garfiel, who was very renown in Rush Valley for his loyalty to his customers and for the good and reliable automail he produced.

"Mr Garfiel? Can you offer me lodgings too?" she asked hopefully.

The other mechanics looked at Garfiel and sighed in defeat. Garfiel nodded and winked. "Well of course my dear! I have a nice little apartment above my shop which is empty at the moment. Would you like to come and work for me?" he said.

Winry agreed and politely turned down the other mechanics apologising sincerely. A few days later, Winry moved into the empty apartment and began her work in the shop and she felt that she had finally begun to move on. She treasured her customers' smiles and the way they were awed by her work. It filled her heart with joy to see them so happy with their models and during the week, word spread like wildfire over the whole of Rush Valley about Winry's automail skills.

Winry arose from her big and comfortable bed one morning after living in Rush Valley for a month and suddenly felt sick. She ran to the bathroom and vomited; her whole body convulsing. After half an hour of hugging the toilet, she got to her feet and pulled the chain and took a quick shower. It was only then that she realised that her monthly bleed was two months late. She mentally scolded herself for being so careless but then realised that she had been trying to keep her mind occupied with absolutely anything, and the lack of painful cramps once a month was something which had not occurred to her as she worked.

She went to work in the shop once she felt better and was surprised by a visit from the bubbly Paninya who pulled Winry into a fierce hug. She pulled away holding onto her shoulders and surveyed her up and down.

"God Winry Rockbell, I haven't seen you for years. Look at you! You've changed so much since we've last seen each other!" she said.

Winry gently pushed away Paninya's hands and zipped up her jumpsuit, suddenly self-conscious. Did she have a bump? Had Paninya noticed? She shook her head, assuring herself that she hadn't even been for any test yet.

"So how have you been?" Winry asked Paninya over a cup of coffee in her apartment above the shop.

"I've been good thank you – I gave up stealing not long after you guys left and now I fix roofs as a living 'cause I'm not afraid to climb up to fix them!" she laughed and Winry smiled. Paninya spoke fondly of her work and how she was finally able to pay back Dominic, the man who refused her money after giving her automail legs and an automail arm. But sooner or later, the subject was turned towards Winry which ultimately led onto Edward.

"I saw the covers of The Central Times...do you know where he is?"She asked.

Winry stirred her coffee and remained silent. "I can't tell you much, because I don't know myself, but I know he is alive but...on the other side of the gate," she said, her eyes falling to the notice board on the wall where the photograph of her, Edward and Alphonse was pinned up.

Paninya frowned. "So what does that mean?"

"That means they aren't ever coming back," she said quietly. After an awkward silence, Winry rose from the table and began to wash some dishes.

"But you're alright, aren't you? I know those guys were like brothers to you," Paninya said.

Winry turned to face the dark skinned girl, resting against the counter. She wiped her wet hands covered in bubbles on her jumpsuit and shook her head. "Oh yes, Al was like a little brother to me, but Ed..." she trailed off and shook her head, feeling emotionless.

"Do you love Ed, Winry?" Paninya said softly.

"I did but....Oh Paninya, I need to ask a favour of you," Winry said, her thoughts turning back to the night they had spent together and her sickness this morning.

"Yeah, anything," the girl replied.

"I need to visit a doctor...things seem to have got complicated..." Winry said her face downcast.

Paninya gasped and got up from the table. "Did you and Ed..." she began.

Winry silently nodded and patted her abdomen. "Yup, and now I think he's left something behind," she chuckled darkly. The next thing she knew, Winry was given the afternoon off as Paninya took her to one of the doctors.

The results of the test arrived a week later over the phone and after hanging up, Winry rested against the wall in the hallway and slid down, falling to her knees. She gasped and clutched her chest, hyperventilating slightly. Still, no tears fell yet anxiety filled up her body. She lightly touched her abdomen, something which she could not stop doing and pressed her hand in a little, as if to convince herself that something was actually growing there. She wrote a small note to Paninya telling her that the results had been positive and that she needed to be left alone for a little while to continue with her work. She thanked Paninya in her note and then posted it before burying herself in her work to conceal the dread and fear that was welling up inside her


	3. Truth

A letter, in thick heavy parchment with curly black handwriting, arrived for Winry a week later. Wrapped only in her dressing down, Winry curiously bent down the pick up the letter off the front mat. The automail shop was opening later today because Garfiel was late getting back from a party and Winry had unfortunately had an unpleasant morning of hugging the toilet. Swallowing the bitter taste in her mouth from a few minutes previously, she walked out of the shop and sat on the stairs where she flipped the letter over, where a wax seal with the crest of the military was stamped. She slid her thumb under the paper and gently opened it, pulling out two pieces of paper. One was in the same parchment as the envelope and the other was just a simple piece of plain paper. She picked up the parchment piece first and read it very carefully:

_Dear Miss Winry Rockbell & Guest_

_You have been invited to celebrate the marriage between General Roy Mustang and Colonel Riza Hawkeye. The ceremony will take place on..._

A date was written that was one month from now and the details of where the wedding would be. Winry put the letter down and smiled sadly – she remembered that Edward had always said that Mustang and Hawkeye were bound to end up married, and that he wasn't the only one who thought that.

Winry shook her head, and gently pushed all thoughts of Edward out of her mind and she found that it was becoming easier. Instead, she picked up the other sheet of paper inside the envelope that was written in neat and clear handwriting:

_Winry,_

_As you can see from the invitation enclosed; Roy and I are getting married. We would both love for you to attend, but I can understand if you don't feel you can but I sincerely hope you can make it. Also, this isn't going to be a secret for much longer, but I am five months pregnant as I write this. I aim to look for a wedding dress that won't show this off too much, and I would really like you to help me choose, so please come and stay in Central for a while. From what I have been hearing, you have been working incredibly hard. But as I have said, I understand if you don't want to. Please RSVP when you can._

_We are your friends, Winry. I hope to hear from you soon. All the best,_

_Riza Hawkeye_

Winry re-read the letter a few times before she was sure she had taken everything in: this was a lot of news to be given in such a short space of time. Admittedly, Winry had not known Riza well, and had in fact spoken more to Roy than Riza in the past. However, with this letter, Winry was sure that Riza was creating a bridge of friendship, and maybe it wouldn't hurt to have some more friends and people she could trust in Central. Then she laughed, her laughter echoing around the empty shop – the thought of them both carrying children! For some reason she found that very amusing, and continued to chuckle to herself as she got ready to open the shop two hours late.

It was as Winry clipped on her strapless black crop top, did she glance at herself in the mirror and pause. It was there – most certainly there. Winry moved closer to the mirror and turned her body to the side where she saw the small faint hint of a bump that was not caused by over-eating or laziness. Hesitantly, she lightly touched her hand on the bump but then pulled it away quickly, as if it were boiling hot. She zipped up her jumpsuit and didn't glance at herself in the mirror on the way out of the room.

Over her lunch break once Garfiel had got back from his night out and had said he was able to work, Winry went for a coffee with Paninya. They found a small cafe behind the main street and sat outside in the sun. Winry had the letter tucked in her overalls and pulled it out once the coffee had arrived.

Paninya looked at it, her eyes flicking back to Winry's. Then she picked up the envelope and read the contents inside, her eyebrows raised.

"Gosh, sounds like you're the maid of honour!" she said once she had read it.

Winry smiled thinly. "I'm going," she said.

"I guess that's a good thing. But Central is where you wanted to escape from, right? After...after what had happened there..." the dark skinned woman frowned and scratched her head.

"I know, but I need to do something. Paninya...I don't think I'll be coming back here," Winry said and took a sip from her coffee, watching Paninya closely over the rim of her cup.

Her green eyes narrowed then widened. "You mean ever?"

Winry nodded. "I've finished my apprenticeship with Garfiel. I know it's only been two months, but I'm done – there's nothing more he can teach me."

"So you're just going to leave?" Paninya shot.

Winry slammed her cup down onto the table, making it shake. She stared down into her cup and surveyed her own reflection in the dark liquid. That's what she had been thinking as Edward had left for the other world.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, clearing her thoughts. "I prefer it to be called, 'moving on'," she said quietly.

"Winry..." Paninya began.

She looked up to see the young woman's face etched in concern. Winry smiled. "Don't worry Pan. I'll be fine. I'm taking my grandmother as my guest to the wedding, and I'll be finding a place to live once I get there in a few days," she said.

"You're going so soon? How are you going to afford a place in Central on your own?"

Winry sighed. "I've had a fund set up by my parents when I was born. Every month, they would put some of their wages into the fund to support me later on in life. When they died, all of my inheritance from them went to that fund, and there is more than enough there to get me some lodgings and of course I have my wages from Garfiel for the last two months as well," Winry said, sipping the last of her coffee and wiping the corners of her mouth with a napkin.

Paninya reclined in her chair and whistled. "Wow Winry – you've got it all figured out. How could Ed have left someone like you?" she said, and then slapped her hand to her mouth. "Oh shit, I'm so sorry!" she said hastily.

Shaking her head and rising from the table, Winry smiled at her. "It's fine, Pan; don't apologise. Every day is easier, and he doesn't know what he's left behind, so I can't blame him," she said simply. Picking a few notes from her purse, she left them on the table and a few coins as tips and said a short farewell to Paninya. She bent down and hugged the young woman.

"I cannot thank you enough for your kind friendship over the last few months," she said into Paninya's ear, and then pulled away. "Come and visit me if you want. The next time you see me, I will not be on my own and I may have my own shop," she winked and then walked away down the street without a backwards glance.

When she got back, she served a few customers and talked little to Garfiel. Winry buried herself in the day's work, and was grateful when she flipped the sign on the door to 'closed'. Garfiel tapped on her on the shoulder making her jump.

"Oh! Yes Garfiel?" she said quickly.

"My dear; something is not right. I would hate for you to be unhappy," he said smiling kindly.

Winry bit her lip and then guided him towards the workshop at the back. "There's something I need to tell you..."

Garfiel had been awfully kind and had reluctantly admitted that she had surpassed his training and his own level of work. Winry nodded to the compliment and after she had cooked Garfiel some dinner, she made the final arrangements, but did not tell him about her pregnancy. It had been playing around on her lips, but then she swallowed and decided that he did not need know.

That evening, Winry went to the store room and carried a few boxes up to her apartment. She put them down in her bedroom and packed a few objects into them: the clock off the wall; the bedside lamp; her latest blueprints and her tools. She then reached under her small bed and pulled out her suitcase and slowly folded her clothes into it. She glanced around her room, took a deep breath and then snapped the suitcase shut.

The shower water was unusually warm, and after she had washed herself, Winry leant against the tiled wall and sank down to the floor, wrapping her arms around her. The shower water hit her skin harshly, but after a while she became numb to it as she drowned herself in her own thoughts. She had to admit that she was excited to move to Central, but at the same time she was terrified about what was going to happen to her in five months time. Subconsciously, she raised a hand and rested it on her soaked abdomen. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine the life that was just there under her fingers: a life that had been created after one night of passion.

Her eyes snapped open and she carefully stood up and turned off the shower. Winry brushed her long wet blonde hair and braided it in two plaits down her face, so she could sleep with wet hair. She hung her towel up on the radiator, laid her clothes out for the next day and pulled her nightdress over her head. She climbed into her bed where hauntingly silent dreams plagued her sleep.

*

Garfiel was kind enough to escort her to the station the next day. Although she had planned to leave a few days later, Winry felt that if she stayed any longer, then she would get second thoughts and change her mind.

"Now honey, you be careful in Central," Garfiel said seriously, giving her a tight hug after he had loaded her small boxes in the cargo carriage.

Winry nodded and smiled. "I will," she assured, letting go of him. "You have been such a great master-"

"You have been the most wonderful apprentice," Garfiel cut across. They stood outside a carriage, and Winry pulled it open, and closed it behind her. She leant out of the window and gave Garfiel one last hug.

"You flatter me too much," she chuckled.

Soon enough, the tearful Garfiel was snatched away from her vision as the train left the station and gathered speed. Winry entered a busy carriage and placed her suitcase in the overhanging rack. She sat down next to a sleeping woman with a child in her arms. Soon enough, the repetitive rhythm of the train moving and the child's soft breathing next to her made her eyes droop and she fell asleep as she made her way closer to Central.

It was the middle of the afternoon when Winry awoke suddenly and looked out the window to see the train pulling into Central Station. She rubbed her neck which was stiff from sleep and reached up to grab her suitcase. The jumped off the train and walked along the platform to the back of the train where she waited for her three boxes to be unloaded. They were dumped unceremoniously on the platform in front of her and Winry bit her lip. She turned to the clerk who was unloading the boxes.

"Um, excuse me sir? But would you be able to help me carry a box to the entrance of the station so I can get a taxi..." she trailed off when the clerk looked at her up and down and raised his eyebrows. She frowned and turned away from him, and started pushing her boxes along the platform. Eventually, she reached the entrance and stood by the taxi bay, waiting for a vacant taxi to show up. A kind taxi driver helped her with her boxes and suitcase and drove her to a hotel that always had vacancies.

A clerk at the hotel carried her boxes to her room, and she collapsed on the bed, listening to the busy road outside the window. Central had recovered well after the events three months ago, and most of the buildings that had been damaged were now restored, including the hotel she was staying in now. After taking a quick shower and changing her clothes, she called another taxi and gave the driver the address to Riza's apartment block. She got out of the taxi in front of a nice apartment building and walked up the front steps. At the door, she saw a phone and a list of flat numbers. She looked for Riza's and then dialled the number and placed the small receiver to her ear. After a few rings, the phone was answered.

" _Hello?_ " the voice asked swiftly.

"Miss Hawkeye? It's Winry Rockbell-" she began.

" _Oh, hang on a moment, I'll come and let you in,_ " she said and with that the phone clicked off. Winry placed the receiver back in its holder in the wall and waited, until she saw a tall blonde woman walk quickly down the stairs behind the frosted glass doors. A lock rattled in the doorway and then the door was pulled back and Riza stood smiling at her.

"Winry! I wasn't expecting you so soon...thank you for coming. Please come in..." she said, beckoning Winry inside. Riza guided Winry up the two flights of stairs and down a corridor and then unlocked her apartment door.

Winry's eyebrows rose when she saw numerous boxes littering the floor. Riza showed Winry to the living room and they both sat on the sofa.

"Are you moving out?" Winry asked.

"Yes...Roy and I are getting a place together a few streets away. It's just a small townhouse, but at least we'll have a place together, and we need some space for the new member..." she said, her hand coming to rest on her abdomen.

Winry's eyes followed her hand and she felt her chest tighten. Riza had a very visible bump underneath her blouse. Winry smiled.

"When is it due again?" Winry asked curiously.

"Just under three months. I need to get a dress that won't reveal it so much...but I guess people are going to find out anyway," she shrugged. "When did you want to go shopping? I want to get a dress for you too," she said.

"Oh, I've already got a dress-"

"Nonsense Winry: I want you to be one of my bridesmaids, so I will be buying your dress," Riza said.

Winry looked at her speechless. Why was this woman being so kind to her? "Thank...thank you miss Hawkeye...but..." Winry stuttered.

Riza waved a hand. "It's nothing. And please call me Riza, Winry."

Winry relaxed and smiled. Riza made some coffee and Winry asked about Riza's work in the military and how her and Roy had finally got together. Riza then asked a few questions about her work in Rush Valley.

"I'm not going back to Rush Valley," Winry said, making Riza look at her curiously.

"Why not?"

"I want to stay here in Central...and eventually set up my own shop here...I've got some money set aside," she said. Winry bit her lip – she had not told Riza about her expected family member.

Winry was grateful when Riza took that as a notice to ask no more, and swiftly changed the subject. They ended up talking late into the evening and Riza ordered takeaway pizza. They sat and listened to the radio and talked mainly about the military, which was fine with Winry. She was curious as to how the new government were handling managing the country.

"Where are you staying tonight, Winry?" Riza asked, once the pizza had all gone.

"Oh, just a hotel a few streets away. I'm hoping to find an apartment this week to move in to," she said, getting up to leave.

Riza pursed her lips. "Well...I haven't had a seller for this flat yet, so if you're interested, I could get you in contact with my estate agent?"

"really? Are you sure?" Winry asked, her eyes flying around the apartment, noting the two bedrooms down the hallway and the small kitchen and living room.

"Of course I'm sure? Look, you have a think about it. What hotel are you staying in? I'll come and pick you up tomorrow morning and we can have a look at some dresses," Riza smiled, searching for a pen and paper.

Winry got a taxi back to the hotel and collapsed on her bed. She changed into her nightdress and then pulled some blue-prints out and surveyed them in bed for a little, before her eyes drooped. Riza's apartment would be ideal for her and... who she would be sharing with. Sleep pulled at her and eventually she fell asleep, surrounded by her blueprints.

*

"Where's daddy?" a small voice asked.

The room was hazy, and was an exaggerated form of Riza's apartment. The shadows fell in unexpected places and the light glowed around something small in front of her. Winry looked down and saw a small child, the gender unrecognisable. It wore plain clothes, its feet were bare and it held on tightly to a stuffed toy rabbit.

"Where's daddy?" the child repeated, staring at the floor.

Winry gulped and knelt down and stroked the child's hair. Colour swam to her vision, and her hands became entangled in golden hair. The child suddenly threw the toy rabbit down on the wooden floor, making Winry jump.

"WHERE'S DADDY!" it screamed.

Then it looked up into Winry face. The child had strong burning gold eyes, surrounded by tears. Shocked, Winry reached out to wipe the tears away from the child's face, but it stepped back and raised its head and screamed again:

"WHERE'S DADDY!"

Winry screamed and woke with a start. She was sweating all over and a chill ran up her spine as the cool night air touched her soaked skin. She shivered and tried to slow her breathing, running her fingers through her hair. She touched her face and then her hands dropped to the soft duvet, and she remembered where she was. The hotel room was dark and still, the occasional low rumble of an engine hummed outside her window and faded into the distance. She lay back down, and pulled the covers over her face and blocked out the child's screams from her dream. Eventually, exhaustion took hold of her and she fell asleep, where the child peeped around the corners of her dreams, whispering words in her ear.

*

Riza knocked on Winry's hotel room door just before midday. With a toothbrush in her mouth and a hairbrush in her hand, Winry pulled open the door and smiled. She then ran to the bathroom, spat out her toothpaste and walked back in the room.

"Sorry, running a bit late," Winry said, running the hairbrush through her thick locks.

Riza laughed. "That's alright! Did you oversleep?"

Winry turned away. "Had a restless night," she said as she pulled her hair into a bun. She glanced at herself in the mirror, and had carefully chosen a fashionably baggy white shirt that would skilfully hide her bump. It was a beautiful late autumn day, so only a light jacket was required.

They hit the main shopping street together and Winry helped Riza choose out a few potential dresses. She had wanted something tight around the bust, but loose around the abdomen.

"I don't want to look back at my wedding photos to see a large stomach..." she had said to Winry as they searched the rails in one shop.

It was when they were in the third shop did Riza's other bridesmaid appear. She had long brown and wavy hair that was tied in a loose pony tail at the base of her neck. Riza waved and smiled when the woman entered the shop and went running over to her to hug her. Winry looked at the ground, suddenly feeling young in comparison to these two women who were clearly very good friends.

"Is this your other bridesmaid? My companion for the big day?" the new arrival said, making Winry look up and smile uncertainly.

Riza nodded. "Yes, this is the girl I was telling you about: Winry Rockbell. Winry, this is Rebecca – we were at the military academy together," Riza explained.

"Winry! It's so nice to meet you at last," Rebecca said, reaching forward and taking her hand. "You're so pretty! I'm going to look like scum next to the both of you two blondes," she said, laughing.

Winry felt herself like Rebecca, even though she was quite loud. She asked with a keen interest about Winry's automail work, and Winry felt herself warm to this enthusiastic military woman. Riza pulled them out of conversation when she gasped.

"Becky, Winry....I've found the perfect dresses for you two..." she said in a small shop.

Rebecca raised her eyebrows and went over to where Riza stood surrounded by rails of dresses. When she gasped, Winry had to go and look for herself, and her eyes widened when they fell on the dress. Winry was never a girl who wore dresses or found them remotely interesting, but this one did indeed stand out for her. It was a deep green satin dress that was strapless and fell to the floor. It was perfect, and Rebecca was beaming at it as well. Riza called over a sales assistant and asked if they had the two sizes in stock so they could be tried on. The short plump woman came back minutes later with a dress to fit Rebecca and one to fit Winry. Hesitantly, Winry took the dress in her hands and flipped over the price tag and made a small noise in the back of her throat.

"Riza! Have you seen the cost of these dresses?" she hissed.

"Nope, and I don't want to know. Now you two go and try them on," she said and ushered them to the fitting rooms, pushing them into separate booths.

Winry pulled the curtain across and examined the dress on the hook on the wall. Her fingers reached out and touched it, the cool satin soft under her touch. She had never seen a dress as beautiful as this. Her eyes trailed each detail in the dress, but her smile fell when she saw the waist – it was a tight fit. She flicked her hair and began to undress and kept her underwear on, and then slowly stepped into the dress. She pulled it up to her hips and then paused and looked in the mirror. Her bump was more obvious than she had first thought. Nevertheless, she pulled the dress up and thankfully it was a little too big for her, which meant that it was too baggy all over her, except her stomach. She sighed, swallowing hard and began to take the dress back down.

"Winry, how are you-" Riza began, peeping around the curtain. "Oh sorry. How does it-" she stopped as her eyes fell on Winry's abdomen.

Winry bit her lip and turned away, pulling the dress back up. She then turned back. "It's too big. I think it needs adjusting," she said, willing her voice to be strong.

Riza leant behind her and looked around outside the curtain then went into Winry's booth and closed the curtain behind her.

"I know it's not any of my business, but Winry...are you...?" Riza said quietly.

Winry nodded slowly. Riza lent against the wall and looked at the ceiling.

"I was going to tell you but...I'm trying to tell as few people as possible," she said.

Riza shook her head. "You didn't have to tell me, so don't feel guilty," Riza said. She stood up and walked over to Winry and hugged her.

"If there is anything I can do-"

"Don't be silly: you're expecting too! And you're due sooner anyway," Winry replied firmly.

Riza surveyed Winry with her deep hazel eyes. "Is it-"

"It's Ed's," Winry replied quickly, turning away and pulling the dress up. "Can you do this zip up please?"

Riza complied and dropped the subject. It was decided that the dresses were perfect but needed adjustments. When the clerk asked what needed to be adjusted on Winry's dress, Winry replied honestly, saying that she was expecting, and therefore needed some extra space for her bump. Measurements were taken and the clerk was very excited about both Riza and Winry being pregnant.

"When is yours due?" she asked as she measured around the bump.

"Not for another few months," she replied. "I hope to see a doctor soon to see when it is expected," she said, mainly to herself.

Once everything was measured and fitted, Riza paid for the dressed, which were going to be picked up in a week's time. Not long after they had left the shop, did they enter another one which was perfect for Riza. Rebecca and Winry exchanged glances and sighed with relief when the dress fitted perfectly. Winry bade farewell to Riza and Rebecca and walked back to the hotel and spent the evening tinkering with an automail foot.

*

Riza moved out of her flat a few days later, and after some talks with estate agents, the keys were handed over to Winry as Winry handed them a large cheque from her savings account. She was surprised when Roy Mustang appeared at her hotel on the day she was set to move in.

"I've been roped into help you move into Riza's apartment," he said shrugging. "But if you don't want me here I can-"

Winry patted his arm and shook her head. "No, no it's quite alright. Thanks for coming...I haven't got that much stuff actually," she said.

Roy drove her over to her new apartment in silence. Winry could see that he was uncomfortable and decided to talk about something that would surprise him.

"Have you had any news from the other side?" she asked.

There was a startled pause as Roy drove. "No, we haven't. I can let you know as soon as I hear anything though," he said.

"That would be great, thanks," Winry replied, slightly disappointed.

They continued to drive in silence until Roy unexpectedly broke it. "Al asked Ed about you when he was leaving," he said.

Winry jerked her head to him and stared. This was news to her.

"Ed was adamant on going back through on a ship, and I had to restrain Alphonse who was determined to follow him. Al screamed at Ed telling him not to go back and then do you know what he said?" he asked, his dark eyes flicking to hers. Winry shook her head, listening to every word. "He said, 'what about Winry? Don't you know that she misses you too?' and then Ed paused, turned to look at us, raised his automail arm and simply said this: 'tell her thanks; she always made the best.' Then he left, and Al pushed me down and followed him. I had no choice – I had already agreed the day before to close the gate on this side," he said slowly and took a deep breath. "I am so sorry."

Winry remained silent and turned away from him and gazed out of the window. A smile touched her lips.

"If only he had known what he had left behind," she chuckled darkly.

"What do you mean?" Roy asked, as they turned into the street where her new home would be.

Winry sat up. "Oh, I guess Riza hasn't told you. I'm pregnant with Ed's child," she said.

They pulled over outside the apartment block, and Winry began to get out of the car, but was stopped.

"Hold on a second Winry," he said, and Winry waited.

"You're defiantly sure it's his?" she nodded and then he continued. "Well, you'll be entitled to a wage from the military, because he is officially missing, and if he's left a spouse behind, then you are entitled to his financial support," Roy said.

*

Winry spotted her small grandmother through the crowds at Central Station. She went over and hugged her tightly. A week had passed since Winry had moved into Riza's apartment, and a few days previously, she had been in meetings with military personal about receiving financial aid. She had been successful in her claim with the help of Roy and Riza, and next month, she was due to receive a nice amount of money to help her pay for the essentials she needed for the baby.

Pinako surveyed the apartment with curiosity as Winry showed her around and Winry suddenly felt very nervous. She hadn't told her grandmother about her expected, but had an appointment at the hospital that afternoon. Riza had been kind enough to leave some of the furniture behind, so Winry had a spare bed for Pinako to sleep on. As Winry sat down with her for lunch, she decided to break the news. She put down her sandwich and looked at her grandmother across the small table.

"Granny...I have an appointment at the hospital this afternoon, and I was wondering if you could come with me please?" she said.

Pinako looked up. "The hospital?"

Winry nodded and cleared her throat. "Yes...I am having a check-up because...because...Granny I'm expecting a child," she said, staring at her sandwich on the plate.

There were a few minutes of silence before her grandmother drilled her with questions and lectures. Winry answered all of her questions honestly, not once meeting her gaze.

"Please don't be angry with me," Winry whispered.

"Angry with you? With _you_? Winry, I'm not angry with you, I'm angry at bloody Edward Elric for leaving you! If he ever comes back...he is in for such a beating!" she said, banging her fist on the table.

"Don't...he doesn't know," Winry said.

"But he was stupid enough to leave you anyway. How could he have done that to you? He's just like his father-no he's worse," Pinako said between her clenched teeth.

It was as the doctor rubbed her hands on Winry's abdomen and frown did Winry worry.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked.

The doctor paused. "No...not really..."

"But...? Spit it out Dr, we are doctors here too," Pinako snapped as she clutched Winry's hand.

The doctor looked at Pinako and Winry felt a little embarrassed. The doctor nodded and pulled out her stethoscope from around her neck and pressed it around Winry's abdomen.

"Now Miss Rockbell," the doctor said, putting her equipment away. "I can feel more than one baby in you and I heard two heartbeats. It is most likely that you will be having twin babies. Other than that, they seem healthy so far, so keep maintaining a balanced diet-"

"Two babies?" Pinako repeated, glancing at Winry.

Winry's eyes widened and she looked down at her exposed belly. She pulled her dress down and sat up on the bed and slipped her shoes back on as her grandmother asked the doctor many questions. She then left the hospital with Pinako who was muttering under her breath about the unprofessionalism of the doctors at the hospital. Winry's hand rested on her now obvious belly where her thoughts played with the idea that she had two children on the way. _Two._ Two little miracles that had been created innocently and naively. With that, Pinako agreed to stay in Central after the wedding until the babies were born. Winry insisted that she didn't have to, but the stubborn old Rockbell woman was adamant on staying.

The wedding was a wonderful night for Winry to meet up with some people she remembered in the military, and she had danced the evening away in an attempt to ignore the whispers that floated around the room about her obvious bump beneath the flowing satin bridesmaid dress. She knew the news of her pregnancy by a young man missing, presumed dead was gossip worthy news, but she stood there with her head held high, never losing hope that he would come back, and began to wait for the delivery day.


	4. Appearances

England, 1924

He was running late. The train was due to depart from the station in twenty minutes and he was just buttoning up his shirt from a sleepless night. He glanced around his room trying to find his smart tie and pulled open the curtains, exposing light on his small room. He cautiously stepped over the books that covered the floor, and made his way to the door where he kicked a few closed and useless books out of the way in order to open the door. A small piece of paper lay on the floor at the end of his shoe. He bent down, picked it up and scrunched it in his fist.

Edward slammed his door and ran down the corridor of the small apartment, the floorboards creaking under his uneven step. He dashed into the kitchen, pulled open the fridge and picked up a sandwich from yesterday. He hastily stuffed it in his mouth as he searched the living room for his coat, which was lying on the small sofa. He picked it up, still mulching on his sandwich and then checked for his wallet. Swooping down to the floor, he reached under the coffee table where his small black wallet lay and pulled it open to make sure his train ticket was still in there. Seeing the ticket, he slapped the wallet shut and stuffed it into the back pocket of his smart brown trousers.

"Edward?" a small voice asked.

He turned to see the dark skinned gypsy woman looking cautiously at him.

"Noa, don't think I don't know you were in my room again last night," he grumbled.

She stared at him, and wiped her dusty hands on her skirts. "I don't know what you mean," she said coldly.

Edward clicked his tongue in irritation. "I taking precautions to know when you visit me when I sleep and I know you was there." He balled his hand into a fist, crunching the small piece of paper.

Noa looked down and suddenly there were tears in her eyes as she spoke hysterically. "I couldn't help it! I heard you crying out in your sleep so I came to see the dreams that-"

"Are private to me?" he scoffed, shaking his head. "We'll talk about this when I get back. I'm in a rush and have got a train to catch," he said as he tugged on his coat and picked up a briefcase.

"Will you be in for dinner tonight? I was going to cook some leftover-" Noa began, making her way towards him.

Edward shook his head. "Probably not. I'm meeting Al there, so don't expect either of us back until late," he said, pulling open the apartment door.

"Well, safe trip to wherever you are going," she said, reaching out to him.

He glanced at her, avoided her touch, threw her a grim smile and then walked quickly down the hallway, and then ran down the two flights of stairs. He could not have got away sooner from the gypsy woman. The rain was coming down thick and fast as he stepped out onto the street and slammed the apartment building door behind him. Grimacing, he ran down a few streets, dodging between cars and horses until he reached the River Thames towards the steady rise of steam in the sky. He ran across the bridge of the thick murky river and ran down a few more streets until he saw Waterloo train station.

Dodging business people, he dashed inside, where he was met by many crowds of people, all pushing by each other to get to their own desired destinations. The smell of steam filtered through his nostrils, making him sneeze as he went to the large chalk boards of train platforms. Children screamed in delight at the magnificent trains, a chimney sweeper crept along, accidently knocking a woman and swiftly taking her purse. Edward's eyebrows rose and made a mental note to use that excuse in the future if he ever needed to.

An announcement was made shouting to the busy crowd that the train to Bath would be leaving from Platform Four in precisely three minutes. He swore under his breath and made his way to the platform, being extremely careful not to knock somebody with his metal arm, or step on someone's foot with how own metal one. A whistle blew as he ran along the platform, and a station clerk shouted at him as he chased after the train.

"Sir, the next train will be this afternoon, please wait!" the fat clerk called above the steam.

Ignoring him, Edward reached his automail arm out to the train door, and pulled it open and easily hoisted himself inside, much to the angry clerk's astonishment.

"Sir! I insist you leave at once!" the fat clerk called, panting to keep up with the train as it gained speed.

Edward slammed the door and peered out of the window and grinned broadly as the clerk bristled.

"Sorry, had to catch this one!" he called back, and laughed as the clerk halted at the edge of the platform cursing at him.

He pulled himself back from the widow and slid closed and made is way down the train to find an empty compartment. He muttered apologises as he side stepped people along the train who were also looking for compartments. Every compartment was full and Edward half considered going to the back of the train to ride with the working class, until something caught his eye in one compartment.

Edward stepped backwards and looked in through a compartment window and felt himself stiffen. There, sat by the window, was a slender young woman with long yellow hair tied back into a smart bun with thin strands loose on either side of her face. Her head was leant against the window, and her eyes were open just a fraction as they silently observed the fields that flew by as the train gathered speed and left London. She lifted her left hand up and ran her fingers through her fringe and then settled them on her lap. He couldn't help but look at her all over and what she was wearing. She wore a long brown coat with a belt around the middle and large buttons all the way up in the popular fashion. Her fingers played with the edge of her fashionable had that rested on her lap. His eyes traced down her where underneath the coat sticking out at the bottom, there was the hem of a deep maroon dress, and then something that really made him smile – thick dirty black boots, that were certainly not of fashion.

He knew he should turn and walk away. He knew he should go to the working class carriage and sit amongst the workers who swapped stories, yet he didn't. Of course he knew this wasn't the young woman in Amestris, but he had done rather well of trying to forget about what he had left behind. She only taunted him in his dreams. Yet here she was, except that it wasn't her. Suddenly, she frowned and her head turned and looked directly at him, making his breathing slow.

A tall man opened the compartment door blocking his view of the young woman. Startled he looked up to see the man who had been sat in the compartment the whole time, but he had not noticed him.

"Can I help you sir?" he asked irritably, his dull grey eyes observing Edward through murky spectacles.

Edward hesitated. He really knew that he should turn around and walk away. Instead, he peered around the man and muttered "Winry..."

The woman glared at him, a frown creasing on her forehead. "Winry?" she repeated. Edward couldn't help but notice that she stuck her bottom jaw out a little in confusion. She shook her head, but kept her piercing blue gaze fixed on him. "My name is not Winry, it's Winfry. Winfry Rockwell. Now who the bloody hell are you?" she asked, her eyebrows raised.

"I suggest you answer Miss Rockwell honestly, otherwise you'll be thrown in the luggage carriage," the tall man warned quietly.

Edward pushed by him and nodded. He nearly laughed when he heard her speak. Her voice was exactly the same as Winry's, but it had that posh and educated British twang that made him smile. Winry had been a country girl through and through, and her accent had been a mix of country and the Received Pronunciation from Central. He sighed bitterly, realising that this certainly was not his Winry back in Amestris.

 _His._ She would never be his.

"Well?" she asked again, crossing her arms.

"Sorry ma'am, my name's Edward Elric, and I was only seeking out a carriage with some pleasant company on my journey to Bath," he smiled.

"This is a private compartment, sir-" the man began.

"It's alright Piers," Winfry cut across, holding a hand up. "He may stay," she said, and indicated for him to sit in the seat opposite her.

Edward's palm felt sweaty as he put his suitcase on the luggage rack above the seat and then sat down. He could feel her eyes on him as he moved and eventually sat. He looked up at her and she smiled, her eyes glinting.

"Now...Edward," she said and paused, her eyebrows knitted together for a moment, before she shook her head. "What brings you to the city of Bath?"

"I have a business meeting, and I'm meeting my younger brother at a dinner party in the Royal Crescent," he said, and then cursed himself. This woman was too much like Winry, and he felt himself trusting her. For all he knew, she could be a German spy, or a member of a secret organisation. He grimaced, knowing that he had had enough with 'secret organisations'.

She smiled at him. "Is that so? Well I may see you there later then," she chuckled and then turned abruptly to the man sat silent by the door. "Piers, you couldn't do me a favour and find out when the food trolley is coming down? I could go for a sweet treat," she said, and winked at Edward.

He felt hot under the collar. Every nerve in his body was telling him that this was Winry, but his mind was telling him otherwise. Even as she ushered Piers away, he noticed that she was wearing a few sets of earrings on both ears, and that she smelt faintly of oil. Or was that his imagination? Was he dreaming that their scents were similar if not the same?

"Edward," she said quietly, once Piers had withdrawn.

She was leaning forward and her smile and flirtatious face was gone. Now before him sat a serious young woman that was again painfully familiar.

"Please call me Ed," he said without thinking. That would make things worse.

She nodded. "Ed, I can't help but ask, but you aren't related to Edmund Smith are you?" she asked.

"Defiantly not," he said, curiously. "Why?"

She sighed and sat back. "I'm sorry, I think I'm mistaking you for someone else," she muttered, closing her eyes briefly.

"You're not the only one," he mumbled, scratching his head.

"Pardon?" she asked her eyes sharp on him.

"I mean, why you think you're mistaken?" he asked carefully.

She smiled sadly. "You look awfully familiar to my childhood friend Edmund Smith, who used to visit my family in the summer. He had the same blond hair, and even those bangs you have are strikingly similar, not to mention your eyes..." she said, leaning in close to him, her breath tickling on his face. She withdrew. "But it's impossible, you can't be him. I guess I am just hoping. I'm sorry," she said, leaning back in her seat.

"Where was he from?" he asked.

"Oh, he was from London, but..."

Edward felt dread well inside him. "But, ma'am?"

"In the war, he was killed when a zeppelin crashed and he got crushed under it," she took a quivering sigh and looked at him. "It was rather tragic. He and his father had fled to the outskirts of the city, when one crashed and by chance, killed only him. Well, and the Germans onboard," she added thoughtfully.

They stayed in silence for a while and Edward had to turn away from her face and look out of the window, feeling hot anger inside of him. He had been in that body of his alter when the zeppelin had crashed. He had felt the crushing pain as the fiery zeppelin had fallen around him. He had coughed in the ashes and had desperately clapped his hands together in the vain hope that alchemy could save him. It was only a theory, but he had thought that maybe his alter had survived somehow.

"What happened to his family?" he asked.

Winfry glanced at him. "That's rather tragic too. You see, Edmund's mother died giving birth to his younger brother, so it was just Edmund and his father. Edmund didn't like his father, because he missed the child birth, and the death of his wife and then the death of his second son. Edmund always hated him for that," she chuckled darkly. "Edmund was sent to Eton, where he received a top-class education, and he was smart too. His father knew my parents, and during the summers it was arranged that he would stay with us in Bath," she said, her eyes glazed as they danced among memories. "His father went missing during the war, but appeared again not long later, and took Edmund back to his London house with him. The summer before that was the last time I saw Edmund. He was fourteen," she said, and closed her eyes. Then she reached inside her coat and pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her eyes. "Gosh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to tell you that much! I guess it's just because you look and seem so much like him. I could tell dear Edmund anything."

Edward ignored the lump in his throat. How similar this woman was to Winry. He knew that he was probably presumed dead in Amestris, so Winry thought he was probably dead, and this Winfry had to deal with her Ed dead. He smacked his fist down on the seat.

"Damn it, it's not fair!" he said between clenched teeth.

"Edward?" Winfry asked quietly. "What isn't fair?"

He took a deep breath. Could he tell her? "How long until Piers will be back?"

"Any minute, but I can send him away again. What is it?"

"I'll tell you when nobody else can hear me."

*

Edward felt numb after he had told the long story to Winfry. He hadn't been sure why, but he knew he had to tell this woman that sat before him. She had listened to his story in silence, not once interrupting, unless to clear something up that Edward had described without much detail and lots of assumed knowledge. He told her everything, things that he hadn't even told Winry herself. He had left her in the dark ever since he had joined the military, and he didn't really know why. He voiced that to Winfry.

"Edward...that's easy. You did it to protect her. You and your brother were selfless, and didn't want to lay your burden on anyone else, even though it _was_ hers to share too," she said quietly.

He exhaled and rested his automail arm over his face. He supposed she was right, but he knew he should have told her. Damn, she had been his oldest friend, and that bastard Mustang in the military knew more about him than Winry.

"Is that the fake limb she made you?" Winfry asked, leaning closer.

Edward realised that his glove on this right hand had slipped a little, so some of his metal arm was exposed. He nodded and took off his glove and held it out to her. In ways so similar to Winry, her fingers lightly brushed the metal as they examined his fingers and the connection.

"This is incredible. She was a real genius," Winfry mumbled. "The metal she has crafted with is one that is only used for aircraft."

He couldn't help but smile at that. So she was interested in the way metal worked too. "What is your profession?" he asked.

"Ed, here in England, it is frowned upon for a woman to have a 'profession' as such, unless it is nursing," she said, withdrawing her hands from his.

"Of course it is, sorry," he said, shaking his head.

"Well, I am training to be a nurse, but I wish I could do more. You see Ed, my father works close with the government in making flying ships and I would love to know what they do in their factories," she said mischievously. "I tried to get into one today in London, but one of the workers recognised me as his daughter and-"

"Hold on, does that mean the meeting I am going to will be hosted by your father?" he asked. He marvelled at her. "In my world, Winry's parents died in a war," he said and instantly regretted his words as pain creased on her face. "I'm sorry," he said softly and silently cursed himself.

"No, no, it's alright," she said and smiled. "But yes, he will be at the meeting and-" Her eyebrows shot up and she leant forwards again. "Oh Ed, would you please tell me what they are discussing? How they are building their ships?" she asked desperately.

"You're too much like Winry for your own good", he replied, but smiled. "Of course I will. I take it you will be at the dinner party tonight?" he asked hopefully.

She smiled. "Of course. I must warn you that there are many respected people at my family's dinner parties, so have you got something 'respectable' to wear?" she asked, her eyes tracing him up and down.

He raised his eyebrows. "Meaning?" he asked.

She blushed. "Nothing, nothing!" she said quickly and turned to the compartment door as Piers appeared again.

"Piers! When will we be arriving in Bath?" she asked, and Edward couldn't help but feel excited as he saw her desperately try to conceal her blush.

"We'll be there in about ten minutes, ma'am," he replied, eyeing Edward suspiciously.

"Oh that's good then. Look Piers, our passenger, Mr Elric here is going to my father's meeting this afternoon, and then to the dinner party later. Isn't that funny?" she said smiling.

"An interesting coincidence," Piers sniffed.

As the train pulled into the train station, Edward reached up to the luggage rack and got Winfry's bag down too. She accepted it, blushing again and thanked him before saying that she would see him later, and reminded him not to be late. He nodded, smiled and bade her farewell as he climbed off the train and walked out of the station in the direction of the meeting, gripping his suitcase tightly.

*

The meeting had been long and tedious, but had provided Edward with useful information. Ray Rockwell himself had requested to meet Edward at the end to make sure that he was still coming to the dinner party in a short while. In private, Mr Rockwell had made Edward a job offer he would find hard to refuse. He politely said he would think about working for him over the next few days, but promised to give him an answer within the next week. Satisfied, Mr Rockwell let Edward go saying that he was looking forward to seeing him and his brother later at the party.

Alphonse stood outside the building wrapped in a deep blue coat frowned at Edward as he came out.

"What took you so long?" he said.

Edward nudged him with an elbow. "Nice to see you too!" he said and laughed.

They walked to the hotel as Alphonse told Edward about what he had been doing in Bath for the last two days, and had been doing background research on the Rockwell family.

"Ed, there's something I need to tell you about the party tonight," he said quietly, as Edward checked into the small hotel.

"What's that?" he asked, as he received his room key off the reception clerk.

"Brother, the Rockwell family have a daughter...a daughter called Winfry and it seems most like to be-"

"I know, Al," Edward interrupted.

"You know? How could you...oh Ed, have you _seen_ her?"

"I've already met her," he said, a smile touching his lips.

"Ed, it's not Win-"

"I know!" Edward snapped as he thrust his hey into the door and angrily pushed it open. He then shook his head and sighed. "I'm sorry Al, but...it was...difficult."

"And it will be difficult tonight for me too," he said innocently.

"Oh Al. There's something I haven't told you, which makes it much harder for me," he said, smiling sadly.

"You told this Winfry Rockwell about Winry?"

Edward stopped in his tracks as he opened his suitcase. "Ah, yes that too, but I wasn't going to say that."

"Ed! What else have you done?"

He took off his coat and slumped down on the bed. "I...did something with Winry before I left to close the gate for the final time," he said, pleading that his brother's innocent mind would pick up on what he was saying.

He didn't. "Did what with Winry?"

"Al...Winry and I...we...we slept together, that night we stayed at Schiezka's house," he said closing his eyes.

There was a silence and Edward thought his younger brother had disappeared until he opened his eyes as saw Alphonse staring out of the window.

"Ed...what have you done? What if she...hell brother, you shouldn't have left Winry," he said.

"I had no choice but to leave, you know that," Edward replied.

"Yes, but we both know that destroying the Gate one way would a have stopped them. We couldn't destroy it without alchemy and-"

"I know!" Edward snapped and then went into his suitcase and pulled out his fresh suit for tonight. "I'm going for a shower," he grumbled, and slammed the en-suite door behind him.

*

Edward hated being on bad terms with his brother, but they weren't children anymore fighting over toys, but were adults finding differences in adult situations. They walked to the Royal Crescent in silence until Edward couldn't take much more of it.

"Al. Talk to me," he said quietly, as they walked through the silent streets of Bath.

Alphonse sighed, his hands deep in his coat pockets. "Ed...I have no place to lecture you, but I am your younger brother, so I can warn you: don't get caught up in the woman here tonight. She is not Winry. She never has been and she never will be. I thought you would know that," he said.

"I do, but...they are so alike," he said with a small smile. Too alike.

"No matter how similar they are, they are not the same. She didn't grow up with you, she didn't build your automail and she didn't spend that night with you..."

Edward sighed and glanced at the tall buildings. "It's easier said than done," he mumbled.

"Ed you were so stern in reminding me that it wasn't dead Maes Hughes that walked the streets in Germany. It was Maes Hughes, the Nazi officer. He didn't have his daughter to gloat over, and he wasn't friends with Mustang in the war," he reminded, as they turned the corner for the Royal Crescent.

"It's just so good to see her again," he said honestly. He had only been back on Earth for a year, but he missed her incredibly as she stepped in and out of his dreams. He had tried to push her out of his mind, knowing that there was no going back. She was as good as dead.

"I know, and I can't wait to see her too, but don't go looking for her," Alphonse warned, as they reached the door and knocked.

One of the household's staff opened the door, and Edward handed him their invitation. The man nodded and gave them directions to the ball room, at the back of the house. They entered and Edward felt his mouth go dry as he looked at the high ceiling where two large chandeliers hung glistening over the large room crowded full of smartly dressed people. All of the men wore dark suits, some pinstriped, and the woman all wore their hair short with flowers or feathers in their hair. Without realising it, his eyes began to search the crowd for Winfry and spotted her, but received a strong tug on his sleeve as he was dragged over to the punch bowl by his brother.

"Al! What the hell?" he grumbled.

Alphonse reached out and poured a glass of punch for himself and Edward. "I know you were looking for her. Just stay out of her way, and it will be easier," he said, handing him a cup.

Edward mumbled thanks and drank the strong tasting punch. People from the meeting today recognised him, and soon enough, both he and his brother were drawn into light conversations about business. All the while, Edward kept looking over his shoulder, and between the heads of the crowd. It was in the split second that Alphonse turned away to have an in-depth conversation with a senior member of the business, did he feel a tug on the back of his waistcoat. He glanced at his brother and then turned around and smiled.

Winfry stood before him wearing a black v-neck dress, with beads around the hems in the popular style. She wore her hair down and was one of the only women to have her hair long and down. She wore a black feather in her hair and white beads around her neck. She waved at him with black gloved hands and winked.

"So you came then," she said smiling.

"Yeah, of course I did," he replied happily, glancing over his shoulder to make sure his brother couldn't see who he was talking to.

Winfry noticed this and frowned. "Does your brother not want to meet me?"

He took her hand and they pushed their way through the crowd to the back of the room, where the large windows overlooked the small back garden.

"He said I should stay away from you," Edward admitted quietly.

"Then what are you doing talking to me?" she frowned, crossing her arms.

"Disobeying my younger brother," he smiled, and she smiled back. There was an awkward silence in which Winfry entwined her hands with his own and stepped closer to him. The crowd around them were ignoring them, and Edward was grateful.

"I hate to ruin the moment but I must ask about the meeting you went to this afternoon," she said, her cheeks flushed pink.

He laughed. "Only you would say that Winry...shit, _Winfry_ ," he corrected, closing his eyes and cursing to himself for being careless.

"Am I that much like her, Ed?" she asked quietly. When he didn't answer she squeezed his flesh hand. "Please tell me," she said.

He sighed and looked down at his gloved automail hand that was loosely holding her delicate black gloved hand. He nodded slowly. "More than you can imagine," he said. "Not only do you look like her, you smell like her, you wear your hair the same, you walk just the way she walks – swaying your hips just a little with a confident and independent stride. Your eyes light up when I make you laugh like her and...God I'm a fool," he muttered, and pulled his hands free.

"I know I've only known you a few hours, but there seems to be something...familiar about you too. I believe everything you told me, but-" she was interrupted by the musicians picking up their instruments and playing a note that required attention. The hall fell silent, and Edward looked over Winfry's head to the stage at the end of the hall where Ray Rockwell was standing by a microphone.

"Ahem, ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for coming this evening. Not only is this party to celebrate the success of my business, the prosperity of our work and the country, but also to celebrate something personal to home. I would like to introduce to you my beautiful daughter, Winfry. Dear, come up to the stage for me," he said, his eyes skimming the crowd.

Winfry took a sharp intake of breath next to him. He glanced down at her. "What is it?"

She turned and looked at him, her mouth open and then turned away and made her way through the clapping crowd to the stage. Edward looked around and saw his younger brother not too far away staring at him.

Winfry took to the stage and smiled at her father and did a small wave to the crowd. Ray Rockwell then spoke into the microphone with a smile. "Mr Harris, if you would..." he said and then stepped away, as a tall young man, not much older than Edward climbed onto the stage. A few words were said that weren't picked up by the microphone but the audience gasped as the young man with cropped blonde hair took her hand and dropped to one knee, clutching a small black box. It opened and Edward didn't miss the glint that erupted from it.

The room span a little until Winfry gazed out into the crowd and her eyes locked with his. They were expressionless, and Edward knew what she was going to say. He turned away and stared stubbornly at his feet. The crowd clapped and a few cheered and Edward glanced up to see the man hugging Winfry. Mr Rockwell stepped back up to the microphone and beamed.

"My daughter Winfry is engaged to be married to the superb Mr John Harris! Let us give them three cheers for luck: hip hip!"

The crowd cried 'hurrah' back and raised their glasses. Edward made is way through the crowd to the door to the garden. He pushed it open and soon enough the crowd were left to talk to each other again and the part continued. He walked over to a bench that sat in the cold moonlight at the edge of the patio and sat down. He breathed in the cool October evening air and rubbed his eyes with the balls of his fists and let out a groan.

He had been so stupid! That woman was just like her, and it was confusing the hell out of him. He began to wonder if Winry back in Amestris would be getting engaged. Would she find another man, settle down and have a family with him. Edward felt his stomach boil at the thought of this nameless man and he clenched his fists. He was jealous. Oh how he would rather be that man. If there was some way of knowing...

He kicked himself. He would rather she was happy than be on her own for the rest of her life. But then a memory caught him in the back of him mind. It was the night that they had shared together, and what they had said as Winry lay in his arms:

" _Don't look for me," Edward he said swiftly._

_He saw her eyes narrow and her bottom jaw stick out angrily._

" _I'll wait," she said, her eyes flaring dangerously, and her soft mouth in a thin line._

Shaking his head again, he wondered if those had just been empty words fuelled by the passion. He wished they weren't but then he would want her to be happy, and not waiting for him her whole life to die alone and wasting time...

"Edward," a voice said: a voice so achingly familiar. He looked up to see Winfry standing in front of him.

He glanced at the ring on her left hand. "Congratulations," he mumbled.

"Thanks," she said quietly. She didn't sit down, nor did he invite her to, but instead she pulled out a cigarette and lighter and lit one for herself. She took a deep breath, and blew the smoke away from him. He had forgotten that smoking was very popular in England at the moment.

"Winfry-" he began, looking up at her.

"Ed," she said. "Listen to me right here and now," she looked down at him firmly. He nodded and she spoke quietly. "Ed, everything I am is not her. I may wear her face, her body..." she sighed. "I can't replace her and I don't want to and I know deep down you wouldn't want that too. Yes, you look so much like my childhood friend Edmund from London, but I know he died in a zeppelin crash a few years ago." She took a drag of her cigarette. "But you Ed...your girl Winry...she's still alive, right? At least you can try to find her. As for me...well I have a family name to uphold," she said, and threw her cigarette butt on the patio floor.

He looked up at her to see her walking away, her long hair trailing down her back.

"I'm Winfry Ed. Not Winry," she paused and turned to look at him. "Forget me," and with that she walked back to the house and left him sitting on the bench in the cold night.


	5. Hidden Truths

She didn't want to open her eyes. Her body ached all over, and by keeping her eyes tightly closed, the pain was subsided, even by just a fraction. Winry knew that if she opened her eyes, then she would face the fact that the noise around her was real: the hum of inquisitive doctors, the whispers of the nurses and the wailing coming from two newborns. A heart-rate monitor, a brand new invention, was beeping calmly next to her, but began to speed up. She raised an arm to her face and covered her closed eyes and let out a small sob. She silently scolded herself, but knew that her hormones were a complete wreck. Yet her thoughts drifted as she let the tears slide down her cheeks and onto the hard pillow. She hadn't shed a tear for months, yet now she couldn't stop crying, and her cries mingled with those of the two babies in the cots next to her.

"Miss, are you alright? Are you in pain? Is there anything I can get you?" a nurse said by her ear.

Winry jumped and moved the arm from her face and slowly opened her eyes and looked at the petite nurse.

"...Ed..." she mumbled through her cracked lips.

The nurse frowned and turned away for a moment. When she turned back, she had a cup of water and a straw.

"Here, drink this. You look thirsty. It's not easy work giving birth, let alone to two at the same time," she said softly, and put the straw in Winry's mouth.

She obliged without protest and began to drink; the cool water swashing around her mouth and clenching her thirst. She nodded to the nurse when she had finished and the nurse smiled at her. Then, making sure Winry was alright; she turned away and carried on with her duties.

Winry rolled to her side, away from the cots. Their crying was minimal now, and they were starting to fall asleep. She didn't want to look at them. Fidgeting with the duvet cover and snuggling under she knew she was scared: scared of what they looked like, scared of hating them and scared of caring for them. She hadn't even looked at them, and when the doctor had held the first one out to her to hold after birth, she had slipped unconscious. The labour and childbirth was not an easy one, and she had heard nurses whisper that her cries could have been heard all the way down the corridor.

Eventually sleep took over her, but she was woken by a nurse who was shaking her arm gently.

"I'm sorry to wake you, Miss Rockbell, but your children are hungry and they need you," she said.

Winry nodded numbly and eased herself into an upright position. The nurse helped her and plumped up her pillows making sure she was comfortable.

"Did you sleep well?" the nurse asked gently, smiling.

Winry blinked and nodded. She rubbed her eyes, trying to shake away the images of the golden-eyes man from her dreams. He taunted her, but the dreams were then only place where she could see him once again, and although they hurt, she treasured them, especially now, when she needed him the most. As her eyes adjusted a little more, she remembered where she lay and grimaced.

"Are they...are they well?" Winry asked shortly, feeling wide awake but wishing sleep could take her again.

The nurse with short brown hair cut in a fashionable bob nodded. "Why yes: your children are quite beautiful."

"They are?" Winry hadn't considered them beautiful.

"Of course... have you not seen them yet?" the nurse said, her eyebrow raised.

Winry shook her head. "I'm afraid of what they will look like..." she whispered hoarsely.

The nurse paused for a moment and Winry was thankful that she didn't ask any more questions. She was afraid to look into their faces to see their absent father reflecting back in them. To her, that would be a curse.

"You'll need to see them one day! They need their mother," the nurse replied, straightening. "You need to put your fears aside for a moment and think of your children – that's what it is to be a mother," the nurse said firmly.

Now was the time to confront her fear, Winry realised. The nurse spoke truth. How could she raise them if she could not look at them? Winry nodded and made herself more comfortable and ready to receive a child in her arms. The nurse moved away and then a few moments later returned with a bundle in her arms.

"This is your daughter," the nurse said, easing the baby in Winry's shaking arms.

Winry looked down and pulled the blanket away slightly so she could see the child's whole face. The baby had tufts of blonde hair that was lighter than Edward's but darker than Winry's. The child opened her eyes and sleepily looked up at Winry with big blue eyes that were almost exactly the same as her own but had a similar eye curve to the baby's father.

"She doesn't half look like her mother," the nurse said fondly. The door to her room opened and one of the doctors who had been treating her came in. He exchanged a few quiet words with the nurse, but Winry ignored them: she was completely fascinated by the child in her arms. She had seen some old photos of herself back at her grandmother's house in Resembool and then baby in her harms could easily pass for the baby in those pictures – only the date would tell the truth.

The doctor who had just joined them cleared his throat. "Miss Rockbell, I don't wish to push you but you need to name your children – to put on their birth certificates."

"Sara," said Winry, nodding. "She will be called Sara Trisha Rockbell."

"And your son?" the doctor said, scribbling on his clipboard.

"I have a son?" Winry said, slightly shocked.

The nurse moved forward and took the baby out of Winry's reluctant arms and placed Sara back in her cot. After a moment, another bundle was placed in her arms. Winry peered down again and felt her throat catch. Two large golden eyes stared back at her. The baby pouted and Winry glanced at the tufts of gold hair on the top of his little head. The baby speared to smile at Winry and choking back tears, Winry beamed back.

"He's just like his father," Winry mumbled sadly.

"His name?" the doctor sighed irritably, tapping his pen on his clipboard.

There was a pause as Winry's mind searched for the right name for this curious baby in her arms. "Ed...mund. Edmund Urey Rockbell," she said, not tearing her eyes off the baby in front of her. She watched as his big eyes darted around the room glaring at the doctor and then back at Winry, where his gaze seemed to soften.

Once the doctor had gone, the nurse was very helpful in showing Winry how to breastfeed. It felt quite uncomfortable and a little embarrassing to her, but the nurse was as helpful as always, saying that Winry was not the first person to have no clue about breastfeeding. Once the babies were fed and placed back in their cots, Winry felt exhausted again, but asked the nurse to phone her grandmother to tell her the news. Hesitantly, Winry also asked if she could phone Riza, who had given birth to her baby two months ago and was doing extremely well.

The routine over the next few days was repetitive. Winry would be up both night and day feeding the children and would sleep as soon as the babies began to sleep. In the spare time that the babies did not need feeding, Winry kept herself sane by reading automail magazines, the newspapers and a book on advanced automail.

Riza came to visit her a few days later with her son in her arms. Winry hadn't had chance to see Riza's child because Winry had been under a close eye from the hospital because of her young age. So to finally see Riza's child was a joy to her.

"You didn't have to come and visit me," Winry said sheepishly, feeling guilty for not visiting Riza.

"I wanted to see you! And of course you children. Besides, you haven't met this little man yet," Riza said, coming to Winry's bedside. Winry held out her hands and a little two month old boy looked up at her. He had the same chestnut coloured eyes as Riza and a similar face shape, but without a doubt his features were mainly his fathers. He had thick black hair and pointed eyes and a stubborn little mouth that made Winry chuckle.

"What's his name?" Winry said, smiling.

"Maes. It's a nice name and Hughes was always there for Roy when I couldn't be in the old days," Riza said. She then moved to the cots. "Are these yours over here?"

Winry nodded. "Sara is in the cot on the left and Edmund in the cot on the right. I think they're awake at the moment, which usually means they want feeding," Winry grimaced. They weren't crying for their food...yet.

There was quite for a moment except Riza's gentle mumblings to the babies in the cots. Maes, in Winry's arms, began to fall asleep and Winry felt a pang of hunger. She needed her energy but the hospital food was anything but appetising, let alone full of any energy. Riza moved back to Winry's side and gently eased Maes out of Winry's arms. She then sat in the chair next to Winry's bed and looked up at her.

"Edmund looks quite a lot like his father," Riza said quietly.

"They both do," Winry sighed. "Already Sara's hair is getting darker and her blue eyes are beginning to fade into a mix of blue and gold."

* * *

Pinako had managed to get a train back up to Central to visit Winry when the twins were two months old. Winry had received help from the hospital, where a nurse would come twice a week to check on them and until the babies were eighteen months, a doctor would call once a week to check their health and Winry's. It was unusual, but not unheard of for young women to have children, but it was frowned upon if it was out of wedlock.

Winry was happy to not have a bursting belly anymore, and felt happy that she could get back into her old clothes. Her apartment was a mess, but in the spare room where the two cots were, there were an abundance of donated toys from friends, well wishers and charities. It was the only room in the flat which she had decorated before the children were born, but had painted it a neutral pastel green colour, not knowing the gender of her children at the time. Thinking about it, it was a good thing that she hadn't painted it entirely pink of done a mix of both.

With Pinako all too willing to look after the children for a couple of hours, Winry set about finding a job in an automail shop in Central. She sent a few letters off to some of the top stores, not really expecting a reply but was pleasantly surprised when all of her letters were responded to. In the end, a similar situation occurred as to that in Rush Valley where she had to make the best choice for herself, and finally managed to secure a job as a part time sales manager and engineer at a fairly well known automail shop. The manager of the store had taken her own knowing her background and also because Winry was eager to work in automail, with or without children. Winry knew that once the children were old enough to go to school, she would be working full time in order to reach her goal of becoming a famous automail mechanic with her own store in Central and Rush Valley.

"I see you want to work again," Pinako said across Winry's small table one evening. Winry nodded and chewed on a piece of broccoli.

"I got a job offer today, and I'm going to accept it."

Pinako sighed. "You can't go back to work just yet. Your children are your priority now!" she said, pointing her fork at Winry, with a potato stuck on the end.

Winry gritted her teeth. "I know that, but this money I'm getting from the military won't last forever! It's already paid for their cots and clothes, and I plan on putting the rest to use on a babysitter," Winry said, cutting up a potato furiously on her plate.

"A babysitter! The children will forget who you are and learn to love the babysitter!" Pinako said angrily.

"I need to work! I need to carry on with my designs-"

"You can design them here, when the children are sleeping! You have time during the day, so do it then!" Pinako interrupted, her fork landing on her plate loudly.

"But-"

"When I raised you after your parents had gone to war and never came back, I took care of you all by myself, and my work came second. And then I had those boys to look after and feed too-"

"That's different!" Winry yelled, slamming her cutlery down, angry tears in her eyes.

"What, because the father of your children is god knows where? Think how Trisha was when she raised both Ed and Al when Hohenheim left! The situation is just the same – Ed is as good as his father – useless and away from his children-"

"Don't bring Ed into this!" Winry shouted, standing up. She was shaking: it was the first time she had said Edward's name aloud for a long time.

"He's half to blame for this! You can't rule him out completely!" Pinako retorted.

"He doesn't know anything about them! It was one night Granny; _one night_! I can't hold that against him and neither should you," Winry said.

"I can if I want! These are my great-grandchildren and that idiot has left behind an emotional wreck that is my granddaughter! He should have known the responsibilities when he took advantage of you!"

Winry stared at her grandmother in shock. Never in her life had she spoken to her in that way before. Winry looked away, trying to control the level of her voice.

"Are you saying," she began, her voice quivering and low; "that I was a cheap whore to him? An easy lay?"

There was silence, and Winry somehow managed to keep the tears from falling down her eyes. How had they got onto this? Pinako had been such a great help looking after the children as she job-searched (but Pinako thought she had been shopping and finding more financial support from the government). Winry could do this by herself – she would stick to her plan.

"Winry..." Pinako began slowly, although she seemed unsure as to what to say.

Winry nodded, still not looking at her. "I see it now: that's fine. You and everyone else can think what they like, but I won't give up. I'm an adult now, granny, so let me be one."

"A young adult who is making the wrong decisions," Pinako replied quickly. "You're a child in a very adult situation, and I'm trying to help!" Pinako's voice rose loud. From the other room, one of the children started to cry.

Winry moved around the table and walked out of the room. "I'll get them," she said shortly.

"Winry!" Pinako called, following her.

In the master bedroom two cots were next to each other. Winry flicked on the light and went to Sara's cot and carefully picked her up, quietly hushing her, and bobbing up and down and rubbing her back. Winry glanced around the room, noting the lack of toys. A small chair and a bookshelf were in the corner of the room and a chest of draws with a mat on the top occupied the rest of the space. She went and stood by the bookshelf and gazed at the books, as Sara began to fall asleep on her. She heard Pinako enter the room.

"I'm doing fine by myself, but I thank you for your help over the past few weeks," Winry said quietly, stroking Sara's short blonde hair.

"I can stay longer if you want," Pinako said, not moving from the doorway.

Winry shook her head. "I don't think that's a good idea. I need the twins to start falling into a routine. I'll book a taxi for you in the morning – there is always a train at eleven from Central to Resembool."

"Are you sure that's what you want?" Pinako asked sceptically.

"Yes, Granny," Winry replied flatly.

Pinako's footsteps faded away as she left the room and went back to Winry's room, where she was staying. Winry sighed, looked down at Sara, pecked her on the head and put her carefully back in her cot. She then peered over in Edmund's cot to find him fast asleep. Walking back into the main room, Winry cleared away the half eaten dinner, placing the leftovers in a bowl and putting it in the fridge. She then unrolled her spare blanket and lay down on the sofa, waiting for sleep to come to her.

The next morning, Winry rose early and made a small lunch for her grandmother, after she had washed and fed Sara and Edmund. She let them loose in the living room, giving them her old toys from when she was a child. It wasn't much but it gave them something to do as Winry prepared for her grandmother's departure. Pinako came into the living room with her suitcase packed and stared at Edmund.

"I do think it's a curse you have – Edmund looks too much like his father," Pinako said quietly.

Winry knew she could easily pick a fight with her over that. No, 'good morning Winry' for her. Instead she picked up a small brown bag containing Pinako's lunch and held it out to her.

"Here, I made you a sandwich for the train ride home. The food from the trolley is horrible and overpriced. I've called the taxi service and there should be one waiting outside the apartment building once you get out there."

Pinako stared at the brown bag and then took it carefully. "Thank you, dear. I'll phone you when I get back." She moved forward and stopped in front of the children, who looked up at her curiously before going back to their toys. "Goodbye Edmund and Sara... look after your mother," Pinako said sadly and then patted Winry on the arm and left the apartment.

Winry did a small wave and once the door was shut, she moved to the window that looked out onto the street. She stood there for a moment and looked down to watch her grandmother climb into a taxi and zoom away down the street. Crouching down by Sara and Edmund, she ruffled both of their hair on their heads and then eased herself up and walked to the kitchen to start the war on getting them to eat food.

* * *

Her dreams were still and her sleep was deep. No longer did he play in her mind as she slept because sleep was something she treasured. The babies were growing fast, and were beginning to talk to themselves, which was amusement beyond anything, but it was difficult to get them to be quiet. Once one babbled, the other one did in return and Winry would usually wake in the middle of the night hearing their little incoherent conversations coming from the room next door. Then, of course, one of them would start to cry; making the other cry and Winry would rise from her bed and hush each of them. Recently, she had taken to talking to them quite a bit, even though she knew they couldn't understand her. But it was one evening as the rummaged through the chest of draws looking for a spare set of clothes for Edmund (who had spilt his dinner all down him), did she freeze and forget everything for just a moment.

Something cold hit her fingers as she blindly searched the draw. Gasping, she quickly removed more clothes, ignoring the children's crying as her hands wrapped around a small silver pocket watch. She knew that she stood there for a long time with her hand in the draw. She slowly pulled it out, her eyes widening and sure enough, it was the same state pocket watch that he had carried around for all of those years.

It was scratched and dented, and the last time it had been opened, small grains of sand fell out, due to it being buried in Leore. She opened it again and instantly regretted it when a small piece of paper fell out. It fell to her feet but she didn't move to pick it up, for she knew what it said – it was the quick scrawl that were his last words to her: 'forget me'. Winry chuckled darkly, coming back to her senses, hearing the children cry harder.

"How can you expect me to forget you Ed, when your two children whose looks mirror yours are here with me?" she mumbled, reaching down and picking up the folded paper and placing it back in the watch. Long were the days that the watch had been sealed with alchemy – it was just a normal pocket watch now but was her only materialistic possession of his that she had.

With the watch still in her hand, she went back to the kitchen with a spare set of clothes for Edmund. She placed the watch on the table and pulled Edmund out of his chair and quickly changed him, his cries subduing, making his sister's subside too. Then picked up the pocket watch and moved the twins to the sofa and sat down too, crossing her legs and putting the two golden haired twins on either side of her. Edmund crawled into her lap and Sara rested on her knee, and began poking Edmund.

"Sara, don't poke your brother," Winry said gently, taking Sara's hand in her own and moving it away from Edmund.

Knowing that they wouldn't understand her, Winry still pulled out the pocket watch and held it in front of them on the palm of her hand.

"This here is your daddy's, when he was in the army," Winry said smiling. Both of them gazed at the object curiously and Sara reached forward to touch it. She looked up at Winry and smiled.

Trying not to get emotional, Winry decided it were best if she carried on talking. "Daddy left it with mummy so that she could take care of it, like she takes care of you," Winry continued pointing to herself. Winry reluctantly looked at Edmund who was gazing up at her with big eyes, which were much too similar to Edward's. She took a deep breath. "One day daddy had to go away to help his brother and mummy didn't see him for a long time, but then he came back and stayed with mummy because she loved him. But he had to go away again... and... save the world...even though he didn't need to go back!" Winry whispered desperately, tears falling from her face, her head lowered. Of course she loved him, she had said that, right? Her grandmother's echoes of her being his one night stand plagued her memory as she tried to deny it. He loved her back...or he had done anyway. She couldn't imagine him doing something like that to someone he didn't have feelings for...

She clutched the watch in her hand to tight that her knuckles went white. She began sobbing, feeling like she was unable to stop until a small soft hand touched her own that was holding the watch. Winry looked up and stopped crying to see both Sara and Edmund looking at her with small sad faces. Winry swallowed and wiped her eyes with her other hand and sniffed, getting ready to move.

"C'mon you two, time for bed. You need to be ready to meet your babysitter tomorrow," Winry said, carefully lifting Edmund out of her lap and removing Sara's hand from her leg. She stood up, picked up Sara and took her to the master bedroom, placing her in her cot. When she walked back to the living room, she saw Edmund holding the pocket watch in his small hands, barely able to hold the weight.

She went over and lifted it up out of his hands. "I hope you don't get your own one day," she mumbled, putting the watch on the table as she carried Edmund to his cot. She tucked both of the children in, kissed each on their foreheads and pulled up the chair from the corner of the room. Winry sat down and began to read to them a short fairytale in a low voice that usually sent them to sleep. When she had finished the story of a girl with long hair stuck in a tower and the prince who came to save her, Winry gently closed the book, moved the chair back and went to the smaller bedroom, which contained her clothes and a small single bed. She kept her door open in case one of them cried out to her, but for now they were silent and sleeping happily. Maybe this would be the first night that they would sleep all the way through. Before she flicked the light switch off on her nightstand, Winry glanced at the silver watch one more time and then let the darkness consume her, where the previous owner of that watch visited her in her dreams that night.


	6. Bad Influence

It was a complicated procedure; attaching a new design of an automail foot to the patient. Being the foot, it was essential to get the balance absolutely right and be in exact symmetry to the flesh foot. Winry frowned as she leant closer to examine her design one final time under the desk lap on her work bench. She straightened, stretched and swivelled around on her stool to look at her patient sat on the operating bed behind her. She picked the foot up and wheeled another stool over to the bed.

Her patient was a man, not much older than herself with messy tawny hair and a straight nose. He was a new customer who seemed to be both surprised and amused by Winry's appearance when he turned up at her shop. Winry mentally knew that when people came to see a mechanic, a young woman was not the usual expectation.

"I've checked it one final time for any loose ends, but I'm pretty sure I haven't missed anything," Winry said, placing the foot down on the bed by the patient's stump.

"I'm sure you haven't – I've heard good things about your automail, Dr Rockbell," he beamed back.

Winry nodded thanks, happy that her work was finally becoming popular within Central and the surrounding area. This customer, John Wells, was one of many new customers that had come into her shop over the past few months. Well, technically, it wasn't _her_ shop, but she was a senior manager, despite being the youngest employee. Her renown within Central had shot up when one afternoon, Winry had accidently bumped into a journalist...

* * *

The meetings with Mustang and the Council regarding Edward's disappearance were monosyllabic and un-interesting. The Council met once a month to discuss the unusual disappearance, and they always demanded Winry's presence: she had his children so she had the right to be there. Not only that, but they always wanted to ask her how the children were doing without their father and needed to assess whether the State should still pay a maintenance fee to help support Winry and her children.

As always, these meetings were the same: investigations were always on-going; no new clues had been found; defence against the 'other world' was still strong; Edward was still missing... and so on. To begin with, Winry found the meetings important and had the vain hope that one day; the meetings would turn up some news that there were new leads and research, but to no avail. Now, she just slumped in her seat and pretended to take notes, when instead she was usually doodling automail designs. She mused that it was almost like being back at school – but she had stopped attending school when she was fifteen.

Mustang always took the seat next to her, and usually contributed actively to the discussions. He usually voiced opinions of her own she had conferred with him before the meetings, but they normally fell on deaf ears. But at this one meeting, Mustang had not attended, after being deployed to East City for an inspection at the headquarters. Winry had sat by herself, and was made completely invisible by the Council, except for them greeting her and then saying farewell. When the meeting concluded for another month with no new developments, Winry hastily packed her documents away, said a short farewell and was the first one out of the council room, where she walked right into someone who had been waiting outside.

Winry had walked into a young woman who staggered backwards a little and gave a little yelp as she dropped her handful of paperwork.

"I'm so sorry, miss!" she said hurriedly, bending down to pick up her papers.

Winry bent down too, and helped her pick them up. She glanced at a few pieces as she collected them and hesitated. All of the notes were handwritten and many were quick scribbles, but quite a few names stood out as she glanced at them...including Edward Elric and Alphonse Elric.

"Are you looking for the Elric brothers?" Winry asked curiously, holding out the papers she had collected to the young woman.

She remained silent, which gave Winry time to take in her appearance. She had her blonde hair tied up in a small bun, but the ends of the hair fell from the back, meaning she obviously had long hair. A neat cut fringe covered her eyes and she refused to meet Winry's inquisitive gaze. When she glanced up, Winry noted her large green eyes and her unsure expression.

Winry stood up and offered a hand down to her. "Here," Winry said. Hesitantly, the young woman took her hand and pulled herself up, brushing down her smart brown blazer and skirt. She nodded and then turned to walk away.

"Hey, wait a minute," Winry started, and thankfully she turned. "Were you eaves dropping in on the Council meeting?"

"No, of course not! I was just walking past and, well you walked into me, right?" she said quickly, clutching her documents tight in her arms. Winry stared at her until the young woman looked away and sighed. "I wanted to talk to you, actually, Miss Rockbell..." she said.

"Why? Hang on a second, who are you?" Winry demanded, folding her arms.

She hesitated before answering. "Ren Jones, miss... I'm a journalist-"

"A journalist?" Winry said, her eyebrows rising.

"Look, can we talk somewhere else please? I'm not really supposed to be in here..." Ren Jones said, looking over her shoulder.

Voice could be heard drawing nearer from inside the Council Room. In any moment, the rest of the Council would appear, and Winry could see that this could put Ren the journalist in a very tricky situation. But why should she care? She didn't even know this girl...

"C'mon, let's get out of Headquarters," Winry said, grabbing Ren's wrist.

Knowing the way well, Winry guided them out of the building without receiving any second glances. Once they were out on the street, Winry let go of Ren's wrist and turned to face her.

"Do you have any information on Edward Elric?" Winry said desperately. It was unlike her to ask but now that it seemed the media were interested, it could be possible that they had unearthed some research or notes that had gone unnoticed by the Council...or been hidden from her.

Ren Jones blinked at her and then shook her head. "That's what I came into the headquarters to find out," she admitted. "And to speak to you, if it's possible..."

"Why?" Winry asked.

"I am actually a freelance journalist...and I don't have a secured job with The Central Times yet...so I was hoping to cover a story on the missing Fullmetal Alchemist and his brother: in the hope that the Editor would then offer me a more permanent position... and I know that you were close to the brothers..."

Winry stared at her. This woman was gathering secret information about Edward and Alphonse, to further her career. She felt angry: it seemed like that Ren Jones was using their disappearance to her selfish advantage... but then at the same time, she felt a sort of admiration. This woman was similar to herself in the way that they both had career ambitions – something rarely seen in women in Amestris.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Winry sighed. "So you want to ask me questions about Ed and Al?"

"Not just that, but yourself too, if possible. I would be happy to keep your identity a secret, if preferred, but I don't expect you to do this for free. I have an offer for you: if you allow me to interview you, then I would be happy to write an article about your automail work, as soon as I get that job at The Central Times," Ren said clearly. She had obviously rehearsed this.

It was an interesting offer but one Ren could afford not to keep, if her work on the Elric brothers was denied by the editor. Was Winry ready to talk to the media about it? A few journalists had approached her in the past once they had found out that she had been in the underground city and be present on the day when the airships from the other world had arrived. Winry looked at Ren who was glancing around the street. Could she trust her? Admittedly, she seemed slightly different that the other journalists – more enthusiastic about her job.

"Look, let me have a think about it..." Winry said slowly.

Ren beamed. "Sure! I'll give you my telephone number..." Winry watched as she ripped off a page from one of the pieces of paper she was holding and quickly scribbled her number down. "I work from home at the moment, so just ask for me when you phone... my mother may answer," she sighed, handing the slip of paper over to Winry.

"I'll let you know sooner rather than later," Winry said, and turned away walking back to her automail shop. Suddenly she stopped in her tracks and turned to look back at Ren.

"By the way: how did you manage to sneak into Central Headquarters?" Winry asked curiously.

Ren's face turned a little pink. "Oh, an old school friend of mine works in the Military Investigations department..."

Winry smiled and turned away, amused by the young woman's sudden bashfulness.

Phoning that number on the slip of paper, turned out to be a very good decision. Winry had deliberated for the rest of the day and night, and in the morning before she started work, she phoned Ren Jones, who was all too happy that she called. When they met later on that afternoon in a small cafe, they exchanged in polite conversation, but Winry could tell that Ren was eager to get on with the interview.

Winry shared most things, but left out the more private information, including the taboo they had committed t bring their mother back and the intimate relationship she had had with Edward. She did not mention her children once, although she suspected Ren knew about them already. When she had been pregnant and attending the Mustang's wedding, there was much gossip about her: not that she cared.

A few days later, Ren turned up at the automail shop Winry worked at, beaming and clutching a copy of The Central Times in her hands. Winry felt happy for her as she read the article which had indeed done her justice.

"Ah, I was worried you weren't going to like the article," Ren admitted, shrugging. Winry waved a hand.

"Don't be ridiculous – it's really well written...so I guess that means you got the job?" Winry asked, smiling, and passing the newspaper to one of her curious work colleagues.

Ren nodded. "Yup, and now it's time for me to pay you back – I'll write about your work here..."

Little did Winry know, that Ren's writing was indeed in popular demand, and not long after an article about the mechanic from Resembool was printed, Winry and the shop had received an influx of new customers, which resulted in her being promoted and receiving a pay rise. She could now afford to buy her children some new toys.

* * *

Winry re-attached the new foot and began to interconnect the final few nerves and do the finishing touches on the foot, by screwing in the occasional bolt. Her patient, John Wells, had winced in pain when she had initially attached the foot.

"You know," he panted, as he wiped his brow; "that didn't feel half as bad as usual."

"That's probably because I haven't attached all of your nerves at once, like most mechanics do. I usually connect most of them at the same time because it's quicker, but by doing some nerves separately, it seems to ease the pain," Winry replied swiftly, picking up her pliers from a small wheeled table next to her, so she could tighten up the connecting parts.

He chuckled. "Ah I see: so rather than get the pain over and done with, I have to sit here and suffer longer instead?"

Winry looked up at him, and immediately looked back down at her work, trying to concentrate. He was trying to come onto her! She could feel his dark eyes on her and he wasn't looking at her face when she had glanced at him. Pulling the zip up a little on her jumpsuit, she continued to work and triple checked all nerves were connected successfully and that he could move all of his toes.

"All done, Mr Wells," Winry said, wheeling back to her workbench, standing up and stretching.

John Wells sat up and stretched his leg and beamed at Winry. "Wow, it feels amazing!" he said happily, jumping off the operating bed.

Winry smiled and picked up her clipboard from her desk. She quickly scribbled down her procedure notes and updated his details as he tested his new foot and put his shoes back on. After she calculated the cost, she guided him back onto the shop floor where a few people were browsing some new models on display.

"So today that's nine-hundred and fifty cenz, including labour costs," Winry said, moving behind the counter and searching underneath for the money box.

Wells leant over the counter. "How about I buy you dinner and we forget the fifty cenz?" he asked in a low voice, with a wonky smile.

Winry stared at him, holding the little money box in her hands. She placed in on the counter and shook her head. "Thank you very much Mr Wells but-"

"Call me John," he smiled.

"Okay, John...thank you but no thank you. I am quite busy and-" Winry tried to reply.

"Oh come on Dr Rockbell: you close in five minutes..."

"I've got to babysit tonight," Winry said.

He rolled his eyes. "Who's roped you into babysitting?"

"Nobody has, since they are mine," Winry replied sweetly, flashing him a brilliant smile. That usually shook them off, she thought. And sure enough, his charming smile vanished.

"Oh," he said straightening, and pulling out his wallet. After a moment of rummaging through, he handed her the exact amount and left shop with a quick 'thanks'. Winry exhaled and rolled her eyes, turning back to her work.

"That was nicely done," her boss, Dr Miller said.

"Eugh, why do they do this to me?" she grumbled leaning on her broom.

"So you can think up better excuses?" he suggested, looking down at her, his glasses slipping down his nose a little. Winry smiled.

"Well this one works, doesn't it? I do enjoy seeing their faces when they realise that I'm not alone," she chuckled.

"That is quite evil of you, Dr Rockbell," Dr Miller said, pretending to be serious.

She nudged him in the ribs. "They deserve it – they're only after one thing anyway... alright maybe two things," she said thoughtfully.

"Those being?" Dr Miller asked curiously, as he moved to lock the shop door.

"One, they want to get in my pants and two, if they do, then they want automail discount for sleeping with their mechanic," Winry sighed, rolling her eyes again.

"I take it you don't give this 'special treatment' out to customers then?" Dr Miller said.

Winry's smile faded, as she remembered one particular customer she had known for years...

"Nope, not ever," she said happily.

Once final tidying up had been done, Dr Miller let Winry go home early. She changed in her office into more casual clothing and wiped a smear of oil off her face. She then picked up her handbag, slung it over her shoulder and called farewell to her boss. She took the back door which led to an alleyway where her small car was parked. Thanks to her bonus and extra business, she had happily been able to afford to buy a car, which made her life much easier for taking trips to see patients and to pick up her children.

Winry set off to the other side of town and drove down a few streets until she reached a more suburban part of the city. The houses were much bigger, and all had huge gardens and cars. Winry pulled up outside one big house and walked up the sweeping driveway. She knocked on the large wooden front door and a few moments later, Riza opened it.

"Hello Winry," she smiled.

"Riza, thanks so much for looking after them today," Winry sighed. "It's not like my babysitter to be ill."

Riza shook her head and closed the door behind Winry. "Not to matter. But there's something I need to tell you... would you like a cup of tea?" Riza moved towards the kitchen, and beckoned Winry to follow.

"Yes please...what's happened?" Winry asked, concerned.

Riza moved towards the kettle and poured some cold water inside it. She then flicked on the hob and placed the kettle on the gas.

"I must apologise on behalf of Roy and Maes," Riza said, rubbing her temples.

"What for?" Winry asked, leaning against the counter.

"It seems that my husband has carelessly left out some of his old alchemy books and Maes got hold of them...and, well...I received this letter from the head teacher of the school today, and it seems that Sara and Edmund have got letter to give to you too," Riza said, holding out the letter.

Frowning, Winry took the letter and skimmed it:

_... unfortunately, today during the lunchtime break Maes Mustang, Edmund Rockbell and Sara Rockbell were caught using alchemy. It appears that they were turning a brick into a ball, which could have been extremely dangerous. Also, there is vandalism to school property due to them drawing circles with chalk..._

Winry stopped reading and looked up at Riza.

"They used alchemy?" she said, astonished.

"They must have learnt it from a book in this house-"

"But they're only four!" Winry exclaimed.

Riza nodded. "I know that, but remember whose children they are... what age did Ed and Al start to play with alchemy?"

Winry stiffened. "They were three," she mumbled. "And they had a huge choice of books to read from..."

"Exactly. Winry, I think we should punish them for this... I'm not letting Maes have his favourite chocolate snack for a week, but maybe you might want to borrow one of the books from us? To help fuel their interest and obvious talent?"

Winry nodded. "I...I would like that. Thank you. But I'll only let them look at it if they promise never to do it at school again..."

Riza poured out the tea and passed a mug to Winry, who cradled it in her hands. She took a sip and then laughed bitterly.

"And here was me hoping at least one of them would take an interest in my automail book!" she sighed.

They talked over their tea in the kitchen for a while, until three steps of footsteps came thumping down the stairs, along with cries and laughter. Three young children burst into the kitchen.

"...give it _back_ , I was looking at it..." Edmund yelled.

"No, I saw it first!" Maes shouted.

"I found it! Let me see!" Sara moaned, pouting.

Riza moved forwards towards them. "What have you got? Give it to me now," she said firmly, crouching down and holding out her hand.

Reluctantly, Maes put something in Riza's hand. Winry peered over her shoulder and saw that it was a silver State pocket watch.

"Where did you get this?" Riza asked.

All three were silent.

"...we found it..." Edmund mumbled.

"In daddy's wardrobe," Maes admitted quietly.

Riza clicked her tongue. "What on earth were you doing in there?"

"We wanted to dress up, but I saw this shiny thing and I know I've seen it somewhere before," Sara said, trying to get another look at the pocket watch.

Standing up and clutching Roy's pocket watch Riza moved back to the kitchen counters and began to wash up the mugs. Winry looked down at her children: what Sara has said reminded her of the time she had sat them down as babies and shown them Edward's pocket watch. She remembered saying to them that she wouldn't want them to become a dog of the military too, hence why she had no alchemy books in the apartment. Of course, they were Edward's children, and one way or another, they were going to learn about it and naturally be interested in it.

"Right, I think we had better head off home," Winry said to her children, who were being unusually quiet.

"I'll just go and get that book for you," Riza said, leaving the room, only to return a few minutes later. A small leather bound book was passed into her hands: _Introduction to Alchemy_.

Winry thanked Riza again and said farewell to her and Maes and guided Edmund and Sara to the car, picking up their small school bags by the door on the way out. They climbed into the back and for once, didn't fuss over who would sit in the front seat. The both sat silently in the back. Winry glanced at them in her rear view mirror, feeling a little concerned. The traffic in the early evening was surprisingly busy, and they waited in a few traffic jams before Winry pulled up outside the apartment block. They took the lift up to their floor, and still neither of her children had uttered a word. She unlocked the front door and they dashed inside, eager to escape her, however, Winry somehow managed to successfully grab hold of the hem of both of their school shirts and pulled them back.

"Now hold up you two," she said, kicking the front door closed. "Let's go and sit down at the table, shall we? Before you get changed, yes?" She let them go and they both walked slowly over to the kitchen table and sat down next to each other. Winry sat opposite them both and spread her hands on the table.

"Can I see the letters please?" she said calmly. They both rummaged in their little bags and reluctantly put the letters on the table. She reached across and opened them, and sure enough, they said the same thing as the letter she had read from Riza earlier. She read through them both quickly and then folded them up and placed them down. She looked at them both.

"Sara, Edmund: I think you know what that letter says," she began. They didn't move, but just stared up at her, with small scared expressions on their faces. Winry sighed. "What you did at school was wrong today – you don't do that sort of thing at school, do you understand?"

"Yes mummy," they said in unison, both nodding their heads.

"But... what you did was...very clever. Did you learn alchemy from Maes?" When they nodded she continued. "Maes' father is a very famous alchemist so no wonder he's a bad influence on you... and... your father was too, many years ago. And it's something that not all people can do. I can't understand alchemy one bit."

There was a pause. Sara suddenly found her voice.

"Are we in trouble?" she asked, a little confused.

Winry tilted he head to the side. "Yes and no... Yes because you shouldn't do alchemy at school because you might hurt somebody by accident. But you won't be punished too harshly, because I am really proud of you," Winry concluded smiling at them both.

The still looked confused. "Proud?" Edmund repeated.

She chuckled. "Yes! You must understand that I am impressed and proud that you did alchemy! But because you got into trouble at school which is bad, that means no listening to the radio for a week. And I'll make sure to tell your babysitter Liz that tomorrow."

The twins moaned and looked at each other. Sensing an argument between them was about to start, Winry moved on quickly.

"However, I'm giving this book to you to share and read together, so you can practice alchemy, but only in this home, you understand?" Winry reached into her handbag and pulled out the alchemy book and slid it across the table towards them. They both gasped excitedly and opened the book and began to look at it.

Smiling, Winry rose from the table and moved to the kitchen where she decided to start preparing dinner. It was when she heard the familiar electric sound of a transmutation did she run turn around to see them successfully transmuting a toy doll. It reminded her of the toy doll Edward and Alphonse had transmuted for her on her birthday when she was three. That doll was lying somewhere under her bed back in Resembool.

She was scared for them... were they going to be snatched up by the military and follow, unknowingly in their father's footsteps?


	7. Reminders

_England, 1935_

"Professor Elric? You were saying?"

Edward Elric startled and gazed around him. Twenty students at desks were looking up at him curiously, pens in their hands and old science books open to biological construction. The small classroom was falling dark as black clouds outside promised rain. He shook his head and looked to the student who had spoken.

"Sorry, where was I?" he said, almost to himself.

"Um, about Dr John Dee's discoveries and his research into alchemy," the young student piped up.

So that's why he had blanked out. Hearing these normal people say alchemy as some wishful and complicated art… the word had sounded almost foreign to him. The class were still silent and he cleared his throat and looked around.

"Ah yes, sorry about that. I think we had better leave it there for today. If I could have at least four pages of research and study on John Dee for next week and feel free to include your own personal opinion… yes that's all - dismissed."

Edward went back behind his desk and sank into the chair. He ignored the students that said farewell as they gathered their belongings and left the classroom. Once all of the students had gone, Edward got up to the door and pushed it shut and walked over to the black board. He stared up at the scientific calculations and annotations and solemnly picked up a cloth and began to slowly rub off the chalk. At twenty-nine years old he was the youngest professor at Bath Technical College, and had experience most elderly professors at the college were envious of. He had surprised the head teacher when applying for the job, but had demonstrated that he was more than capable of being a part time lecturer as well as working for the Rockwell Industrial company, where he was a manager in overseeing the design and construction of the planes.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. He called for them to enter, and the receptionist at the college smiled and placed a few letters on his desk.

"Things from your pigeon hole," she sighed, walking back to the door. "I notice you've got a personal letter: if the Head sees, he won't be happy," she warned and then left the room.

Curiously, Edward sat back down at his desk chair and pulled the letters forward. Some were memos from other staff member, but it was the creased and slightly ripped envelope that grabbed his attention. He reached forward and scanned the handwriting and postage mark: it had come from France. Knowing who it was from, he ripped open the envelope and carefully folded out the letter. Another piece of paper fell out, but he ignored it and turned his attention to the handwritten letter first.

_Dear Edward,_

_I heard from Al that you have a teaching job. That's good; I know you've always wanted to do that. I don't hear from you or Al very much anymore. I guess that you're both rather busy._

_Anyway, I am still in Paris with my husband, Kain, who is working for the French government. I am happy now, and we have a small flat in the centre of Paris. My French is getting better, but it's difficult to get past the fact that I'm German. I hear there are rumours that another war could start soon. As if the previous one wasn't bad enough. Don't get into too much trouble with Al._

_Speaking of Al, tell him to pass on my regards. I do miss your company from when we first travelled to England all those years ago. They were good times, despite being caught in the war. I don't know when Kain and I are going to be able to come across to England to visit, but I do hope it's soon. I miss you, Ed._

_But if the fates don't allow us to meet again, then I think now is the best time you had this. Enclosed is a drawing I did many years ago after I looked into one of your dreams. Now don't get angry, but I'm glad I did and I think you'll be glad I did when you look at it. After seeing her vivid sunshine hair, I knew that I had no chance with you. You were so happy in that dream with her, and she was beautiful and you were completely entranced by her. I always longed for the smile that you gave her to be at me instead. I wished to see your eyes smile._

_I'm blabbing. If Kain sees this, I don't think he'll be happy. We're expecting a child too._

_Good luck in everything you do. Stay in contact._

_Love Noa_

Edward took a deep breath and set down the letter. Then, with a shaking hand, he forced himself to look over at the turned slip of paper that had fallen out. He picked it up and gazed at the image, feeling something tighten in his chest. He sighed and stared at a very good portrait of Winry, sketched with charcoal. She had a small smile on her face and was wearing the thin straps of a summer dress. Despite the meaning behind this picture he couldn't help but mirror her smile, and his thoughts turned to her, of when they had been innocent children in the hot summers of Resembool long before the tragedy of war and suffering had even entered their minds. Before he had admitted to himself and to her that there was something more than friendship between them.

Before he knew it, the bell rang for the end of the class. He had let them go sooner than he had expected. Reluctantly, he tore his gaze away from the photographed and confirmed the time by glancing at the clock on the wall. He sighed, and picked up a few papers and placed them in a small briefcase. He was planning on leaving the sketch behind, but instead tucked it inside the pocket of his dark trench coat.

He locked the classroom door and walked quickly with his head down through the throng of students, all searching the outside for their lunch break. Edward couldn't shake off the crowds until he stepped down some small alleyways that he had come to know as reliable shortcuts. The tourists to the small city of Bath didn't know of the side streets, yet they had some of the best local restaurants and shops. With the small theatre in sight, Edward spotted his destination: a small French café with a canopy hanging out of the front. Spots of rain began to fall from the sky, and he ran the final few metres to the café.

The bell tinkered lightly as he stepped inside. It wasn't a large café, but it was quiet and private, with cosy wooden booths. It was quite dark but had a lovely aroma that was sweet and delicious, making Edward's stomach rumble. He knew the menu to this place off by heart and already knew he would be having his favourite duck dish.

"You have a reservation, sir?" a waitress asked.

He nodded, and gave her his name. She guided him over to a secluded booth and Edward grinned when he saw his younger brother sat there sipping some lemonade.

"And here I was thinking you weren't going to turn up," Al said, smiling.

Edward sat opposite him and ordered on orange squash. He stared at his brother who was looking thinner than he had seen him in a while.

"I guess they don't have much food in Scotland?" Edward said, grinning.

Al chucked. "They do, it's just there is this food they practically live on up there called Haggis… its ingredients put me off."

The waitress came over and the brothers ordered their food. Once she had gone, they fell into a comfortable silence, Edward eager for his food to arrive. He tried to forget about the picture in his pocket and turned his attention to his brother; the reason why he was here. This was the present, no need to dwell too much on the past…

"Did you find anything interesting?" Edward finally asked.

"Not much really. I was working quite a lot with the research team, but half the time I couldn't understand a word the Scottish were saying. I swear Ed, we had to choose a country to stay in with the most frustrating accents," he grumbled.

They spoke about their work and Edward had to admit that it was good to have his brother back. Al had been in Scotland doing research for the company he was working for. They spoke none-stop as they ate their lunch and Edward felt like it had been years since he had spoken with his brother.

"I got a letter from Noa today," Edward said, as their conversation had headed back to when they were in Germany.

Al looked up surprised. "What did she say?" he asked.

Instead, Edward pulled out the letter from his briefcase and handed it to Al. For some reason, he couldn't help but look away as Al read, knowing full well that the small paragraph about Winry would no longer be private to him. Once he had finished reading, Al passed the letter back to Edward and spread his hands.

"Interesting…" he said. "Is the drawing good?"

Edward nodded. "The best I could ask for," he mumbled. Then he grabbed the waitress's attention and asked for the bill.

"Ed, if you want to talk-" Al began.

As the bill came over and Ed pulled out his wallet to pay, he gave a stiff reply. "There's nothing to talk about."

For many years, Winry had become a taboo subject between the two of them. Al usually knew not to say much if, for some reason, she was ever mentioned, or something reminded them of her. Al had noticed that since they had come into this world, and for the past eleven years, Edward had become pretty much celibate, and stopped going to bars to have a drink at night. Stopped liking the attention he got from the pretty women, although Al was pretty sure that he had never done more than kissed women. The only person he had done more with was, of course, Winry.

"Hope you enjoyed your birthday meal," Edward grinned, thinking along the same lines as Al. "I've got to run a few errands, so I'll see you back at the house later, alright?" he said, getting up and throwing his coat over him.

Al smiled weakly, concern showing through his eyes. "Sure, have fun."

Edward tried to ignore his brother's voice draped with worry. He waved farewell and headed out, where the rain had stopped. Feeling full from his lunch, he strolled leisurely into the main shopping streets to search for a birthday present for Al. He couldn't believe that his younger brother was turning twenty-eight tomorrow. There were times when he still thought he was a young boy full of optimism.

The main street in the city was full of wonderful shops and for quite a while, Edward was unsure where to start. What on earth would he buy for his younger brother? They usually bought each other books for birthdays and occasionally theatre tickets. He browsed a few market stalls and walked in and out of shops finding nothing of interest, but as he crossed a road and headed to the lower streets of shops, he stopped in his tracks as a woman before him did the same.

"Winry," he whispered.

The woman smiled. "I'm still Winfry, Ed," she said.

Winfry was pushing a traditional Victorian pram in front of her and wearing a small black cap that was very much in fashion. Much to Edward's distaste, she had cut her hair short, but still had the same bangs but were considerably shorter.

"Ah I'm sorry," Edward apologised, scratching the back of his head. It wasn't like him to have Winry plague his mind so often in such a short space of time. And out of all of the people to see today, it had to be her double.

There was an awkward silence between them as shoppers grumbled and huffed as they had stopped in a busy street. Edward tried not to look at her, but in desperation of seeing the girl that had fled from his mind for years; he couldn't help but stare at Winfry and her uncanny appearance. H was half tempted to get the sketch out from his pocket, but decided against it in case she got the wrong idea.

He eventually cleared his throat as she reached forward in the pram with a handkerchief.

"So, you are well?" he asked stiffly.

Winfry looked up and smiled cheerfully, although Edward could tell that it did not reach her eyes.

"I'm doing good thank you. Got my daughter now and my husband is doing well in his business," she said softly, gazing down at the pram.

Edward moved around and peered over the hood of the pram, where a baby, with tufts of yellow hair was sleeping. The cream blanket was tucked up to her chin, and a little curled fist lay by her slightly open mouth.

He couldn't help but smile. "She's got your hair," he mused aloud.

Winfry blushed. "Thank you. She is a darling, although doesn't really know her father yet," she sighed, avoiding his gaze.

He couldn't help but be curious. "Why not?" he asked. Then he took in her sullen appearance, her small and almost fake smiles, the way she was sort of hunched as she stood. She was very different than the last time they had met: a confident and cocky young woman.

She looked at him through her fringe. "My husband is working abroad in America and she was born after he had gone. He hasn't even seen her, nor wished to." She clapped her hands over her mouth and flushed. "There, you've done it again, Edward Elric: made me say too much," she chuckled.

Edward shrugged, feeling his face heat. He hadn't felt like that for a long time. How could this woman have such an effect on him? He wanted to take her back to his house, make her comfortable, but the child away to bed and spend all night talking with and discovering this woman. Her husband obviously wasn't doing a good enough job in keeping her happy, which Edward considered to be a top priority when you made the choice to marry someone. Realising that they were staring at each other Edward coughed and tore his gaze away, repeating to himself over and over that this wasn't Winry: she herself had told him that.

"Sorry," he mumbled, shoving his hands deep in his coat pockets.

A warm gloved hand touched his arm and Edward startled. A spot of rain fell on his cheek and before he knew it, the heavens had opened with pouring rain again and they were stood there in the middle of the street barley touching, getting drenched and falling lost in each other.

Eventually, Edward broke the silence as his golden bangs clung to the side of his face. "I live just past Milsom Street, about a ten minute walk up hill. Would you like some tea?" he offered, not really sure why he was inviting her. He just felt like he had to.

The baby started crying and Winfry withdrew her hand and pulled the canopy cover over the baby. She nodded, her shining hair now dull and damp. They walked quickly together past the posh shops of the city, near the Royal Crescent and up another hill near an open park. The white terraced houses with their black iron fences looked towards the park and the hill was incredibly steep. Finally, they reached the house Edward lived in with his brother, and he silently hoped his younger sibling would not be back. The lecture he would receive for inviting Winfry back…

They stepped inside the porch and shook themselves dry. Edward helped Winfry take of her drenched coat as she stepped out of her small shoes and placed them by the door. He hung their coats up whilst Winfry pulled the baby out of the pram. He escorted them to the first room on the right, which was a beautiful living room with a high ceiling and huge fireplace. He quickly lit the fire with matches, to get the large room warm.

"What's she called?" Edward asked Winfry, nodding to the baby in her arms who was settling back to sleep.

"Sara," she smiled fondly, looking down at the baby girl Edward's eyes widened, knowing full well that it was the same name as Winry's parents. After a moment's hesitation, Edward passed Winfry a blanket near the fireplace. She graciously took it and Edward sat back in his armchair by the fire and watched as Winfry stroked little Sara's head and hushed it to sleep. Moments later, deep and content breathing could be heard, and Winfry slipped off the sofa and sat in a chair closer to Edward.

"Thanks for bringing us here. The weather has been simply horrible this week," she said, running her hands through her damp hair. She shivered and rubbed her arms.

"Would you to take a bath? I've got some spare clothes upstairs," Edward asked, noting her pale lips.

She nodded. "Oh, if it's not too much trouble, thank you." She took a long look at Sara and then followed Edward to the upstairs. He guided her to one of the many guest bedrooms and flung open the wardrobe were a small selection of simple women's clothes hung neatly and untouched.

"Whose clothes are they?" Winfry asked curiously.

"We had a woman stay with us for a while from Germany, when I first arrived there. Sorry they're not much, but these are the only ones she left behind," he held out a deep maroon dress to her that had warm long sleeved. Winfry took it and their fingers touched under the fabric.

Edward turned away quickly and opened another cupboard which was full of neatly folded towels. He picked one from the top and also handed it to her. Not looking at her, he showed her to the large bathroom and stood in the doorway as she placed the dress and clothes down on a small towel rail. She walked over to the window and closed the curtain so the room was shrouded in darkness, save for the lighting from the hallway and then walked towards Edward.

He was not expecting her to kiss him.

He reacted almost naturally, his mind playing tricks on him as he cupped her cheek in his left and snaked his arm around her waist with the other. Her arms draped around his neck and tentatively dug their way into his hair. It was a desperate kiss, a kiss he had not had the pleasure of for over ten years and what scared him even more to was that Winfry tasted just like the last woman he had passionately kissed. They were different and the same. She smelt the same; her skin was as soft, her waist as thin and her body as curvaceous. But it was as his hand fell from her face to reach into her hair did he stop and open his eyes.

Her short hair was not like the woman he loved. He pulled away and Winfry looked up at him with those haunting familiar eyes that were full of questions. Her breath was slightly ragged, and he realise that he was almost panting. He could feel his manhood desperate to feel as good as it had before, and his body was almost tricked into thinking that this was the woman who had taken his innocence and was thus the only woman he could ever fit with.

But no: they had lived different lives, different experiences. He hadn't grown up with this woman. No matter how right she felt as he touched her now, he couldn't make her laugh the same way he could with Winry. He couldn't argue with this woman in front of him and know that he would be the one begging for forgiveness before her. He couldn't reminisce with her their childhood and this woman had not been there. Winfry's childhood love had died because of him and he couldn't forgive himself for that. He pulled away, and dropped his hands. She tilted her head to the side and opened her mouth but nothing came out.

"I…" Edward began. "I…You're married Winfry," he said lamely.

She shrugged. "To a husband I hate, to a man who doesn't care for me or my child."

"A child, Winfry. A child. You can't let that little girl grow up without the love of her parents. Trust me, I know what it's like," he said.

"But I thought that-"

Edward turned away, his hands deep in his trouser pockets, his temper bubbling. "I can't easily forget what you said to me at the party over ten years ago. Not at all. I've seen you numerous times since then, but not once have we spoken because as much as your words hurt like hell, they were the truth, and that's what I needed."

"I know I'm not her, but aren't I the closest thing? We are practically the same-"

"You are _not_ the same," Edward yelled, turning on his heel to glare at her. She stared at him, her mouth open. A frown crossed her pretty face.

"If you love her so much, Ed, then why are you still here? Huh? Why are you still in our world? You would have found a way back to her. You would to anything to be back with her. She's not dead, she's alive and you've got to keep that hope. For all you know, she could be married with children by now, and yet here I am giving you a chance to be the happiest you can be in this world."

"But that wouldn't be right! You would always be second best. You would come to resent me for that fact," Edward retorted.

"We don't know what the future holds, Ed: any of us. But you think for a moment Ed; you think about her and her life. If there is no way back then why do you hesitate? You know there's a way back but you're too scared to admit the truth that she could have done the duty to move on with her life where as you haven't," she said fiercely, pointing her finger at him. She took a deep breath and tugged her hair behind her ears. "I'm going for a bath now. Please take care of Sara whilst I clean up," she said curtly, turning and slamming the bathroom door.

Edward stared at the door and felt his shoulders sag. He waiting until he heard the tap water rushing into the tub and then walked solemnly downstairs and back into the living room which was just warming up. He carefully sat down next to the sleeping baby and watched as her little face tightened and relaxed in curious dreams. He sighed then got up and walked to his desk by the window, overlooking the road and the open park.

Pulling out a key from his trouser pocket, he reached down to the bottom draw of the desk and unlocked it. Slowly, he pulled it open to reveal a huge journal of notes, along with newspaper clippings and photographs. He went back into the hallway and dig around his coat pocket hanging up. Thankfully, the sketch had remained dry in the pocket and he gazed at the soft picture under the dim light. He walked back into the living room and put the picture on his desk along with the battered journal. He sat down heavily on the desk chair and glanced over his shoulder to make sure the baby was still alright. As he listened to her breathing, he turned back to his notes and opened the journal, which contained all of his theories on how to get back to Amestris he had started compiling when he had first got stuck in this world when he was sixteen.

He scanned his slanted handwriting and lay out the newspaper clippings in date order of news events that could be of alchemic significance from all over Europe. He could feel a tingle at the end of his fingers as his mind slowly began to work in the old rational alchemic way and he could almost feel the power of alchemy on his fingertips.

"What are you doing?" a quiet voice said near his shoulder.

Edward turned and saw Winfry drying her hair with a towel. The maroon dress suited her, he had to admit. He turned back to his notes.

"I'm going through my work form the past. Everything I've gone through since I've been here. I might have missed something…" he trailed off as he re-read one of his old journal entries.

Winfry was right: he had been back once. That had been possible, so he knew it could e done. However, even though he was not the naïve child he had been, using a human life to open the Gate was still something that disturbed him, and he didn't think killing would be the best way to get back home.

Home…yes. He turned that thought over in his mind. Oh how he wanted to return home.


	8. Digging Through Dirt

"So your assignment this week will be looking at notable figures in recent history and researching as much as you can in preparation of an essay for next week," the professor began, pacing the front of the classroom, rubbing a piece of chalk between his dusty fingers. "When I say recent history, I mean within the last one hundred years or so, no more. As you're probably aware, your parents lived through at least one conflict or war and our country as lived through some significant history recently, so there should be lots for you to discover and easily too."

Hastily scribbling the task down, Sara sat at the back of the class. Her twin brother was on the desk in front of her, scratching his head. Maes was grimacing and chewing the end of a pencil to her right. Sara smothered a smile and as the school bell rang and both boys were snapped back to the present day. Sara collected her belongings and popped them in her satchel, catching up with her twin brother and her best friend who were already at the door.

"... looks like another library job for us then," Maes sighed to Edmund, who shrugged a reply.

"I don't think it's that bad," Sara interjected. The pair turned to look at her as they passed down numerous corridors to the courtyard.

"You like the library far too much," Maes said, a smile touching the corner of his lips.

Sara's face warmed. "It's not that: if you like we can research military figures and visit mum's friend Schiezka."

Edmund scratched his head again, his golden hair in a tangled mess around his shoulders. "That would make sense: I can just pick the first person I come across then," he chuckled, winking at Maes.

Sara rolled her eyes. "It's not meant to be like that, Ed," she grumbled, pushing open the main entrance door. "We're supposed to pick a notable figure who-"

"Who is important to us and stuff, yeah I get it," Edmund groaned. "But history ain't really my strongest suit: how is that going to help with my mechanic studies?"

"You could look at a notable mechanic for your assignment?" Maes suggested, failing to suppress a chuckle.

Edmund took an apple out of his pocket and took a bite. "Oh ha-ha, Mustang," he said sarcastically as they crossed the street towards their favourite cafe. However, Sara lagged behind and looked thoughtfully down the street.

The two young men turned to watch her. "Sara, you coming?" Maes asked.

Sara hesitated then shook her head and began making her way down the street, towards the military buildings.

Edmund swore under his breath. "Can't we at least eat before we start studying?"

* * *

Winry clutched the receiver tightly in her hands, drumming her fingers on her desk as the phone dialed. She spoke and abundance of security phrases and questions before she was finally connected to the person she had been waiting for. As it began to ring, her impatience flared and she stood up, looked around her small office littered with blue-prints and automail parts, before sitting back down again. Eventually there was someone at the other end.

"General Mustang here."

Winry swallowed. "Hello, err, it's Winry Rockbell here, Mr Mustang," she said nervously, twirling the phone cable with her fingers.

"Ah, Winry, how good it is to hear from you. Riza will be pleased: she hasn't seen you for a while and was getting worried." he replied, his voice brightening.

She smiled absently. "Thank you, Roy. I've just been incredibly busy opening my third shop in downtown Central."

"Oh, that's excellent news, congratulations! Now as much as I am thrilled to hear from you, I can't really take a personal call on this line. I can patch you through to Riza though -"

"That's very kind of you Roy, but I want to speak to you today, on military news," she said, her voice shaking.

There was a pause and all friendliness disappeared from Roy's voice as he turned professional. "What seems to be the problem?"

Winry took a deep breath. "I heard from my friend at The Central Times that they've had some reports of an earthquake or something, in the south, near Dublith."

"Yes, that's right. We've been incredibly busy all morning trying to figure it out."

"Well, I was just wondering if there are any signs of... if it's got anything to do with... you know...?" she said hopefully.

There was a heavy sigh on the other end of the line. "Look Winry, I promised you that if I ever heard any news or inclination that it could be him, then I would let you know. I haven't forgotten."

"I know, I know," Winry supplied quickly. "It just seems quite unusual and I know you're so busy and I didn't want to get in the way..."

"I understand. But I promise you Winry, it just seems like a standard earthquake: a fairly minor one, with little damage. But I will have a squad or two sent out with a State Alchemist to see if there are any signs of alchemey. And of course, if there is, then I shall let you know."

"What about the Official Secrets Act?" Winry enquired.

There was a dark chuckle. "We'll keep this a secret, alright? I know how hard it must be-"

"Thank you, General Mustang." Winry interjected. She did not like hearing the pity and sympathy from others.

There was another pause. "A pleasure, Miss Rockbell."

Winry put down the phone slowly and rested her head in her arms on her desk, breathing in the oil and ink surrounding her. With a little surprise, tears did not fall, but instead she felt empty inside.

Over the last seventeen years, she had always called Roy Mustang whenever there was a whisper of potential for Edward to be attempting to return. As the years passed, the smallest glimmer of potential was nothing and Winry began to not call Roy as she knew it was another false hope. The years had made her pessimistic and her hope dwindled. Today was unusual as the call she had received from her friend Ren - the assistant editor at the Central Times - oozed with potential. Eye witnesses swore they saw alchemy at work as the ground moved, but quite often these descriptions were made off-hand and more of a comparison to what they knew rather than the correct facts.

Sighing, Winry picked up the phone once more, and flipped open her address book. She dialed in a different number and waited patiently, the smallest of hope inside her close to extinguishing.

"Meat Butchers of Dublith, this is Sig," a deep and gruff voice answered.

"Oh, Sig! Hi, how are you? It's Winry here, Winry Rockbell."

There was a pause. "Miss Winry, I hope you are well. Are you calling about the earthquake?" he asked.

Winry froze. "I-err, yes I am. How did you know?"

"Because, like I've been telling everyone here, I'm convinced it means something."

Winry clucthed the reciver so tight to her hear, her knuckles turned white. "What do you mean, Sig?" she asked.

He sighed. "It's different to other earthquakes, Miss Rockbell. I wish Izumi where here as she would be able to convince others of this... there was light coming from the ground with unusual patterns. The ground moved but not like an ordinary earthquake. It almost... hummed."

"Did it really?" Winry said excitedly. She took a deep breath and calmed herself. "Are there any signs of alchemy? And markings?"

"From what I can tell it was just the strange translucent blue light. I don't really know enough about alchemy to identify it," Sig admitted.

Thoughts raced through Winry's head. "Do you think...?" she trailed off.

The man sighed. "I don't know. The MPs are crawling all over the place but are as clueless as me."

"Right, well then there is only one thing for it: I must come and have a look." she said hurriedly, not really thinking about what she was saying.

"You're more than welcome to stay here. I'll get the guest room ready."

Winry smiled. "Thank you Sig, I'll call you before I leave," and with that she hung up, pulled her hair back out of her eyes and set about to a few more phone calls to prepare for her departure.

* * *

Maes picked up his pace and caught up with Sara, her stomach doing a small flip inside and their shoulders brushed. Not long after, she heard her twin brother catching up, muttering complaints under his breath. She ginned at her small victory and turned to Maes as they walked.

"I thought now would be a good time to start: Schiezka might have a busy schedule and we don't want to get in her way. I really want to look at an important military alchemist incase they have some interesting research i can use. What about you, Maes?"

They were close the the main buildings now, and began rummaging in their bags for their identification. "I'm not sure really," Maes replied. "Perhaps one of my father's colleagues is mentioned?" he thought aloud.

They passed through the first level of security, explaining their task and headed to the main reception area, where a cheerful receptionist with dark curls and perfect nails told them to take a seat whilst she patched through to Schiezka.

Edmund looked at Maes, as if he had just started paying attention. "hang on, isn't your old man a General? Can't you do the research about him?"

"Heh, as if he would let me. He practically discovered the Official Secrets Act." Maes shook his head. "As if he would tell me anything anyway"

Sara frowned. "What about your mother? She's a high-ranking officer too, right?"

Maes sighed, spreading his hands. "Yeah she is, and I think she would tell me more if it weren't for the Official Secrets Act. I swear my father just introduced the Act to hinder me." They fell into a comfortable silence occasionally making casual observations about the people that passed them or the building itself.

Eventually the chirpy receptionist peered over her desk and put down her telephone. Looking nervous she approached the three of them and nodded respectively to Maes. "I'm sorry I didn't realise you were General Mustang's son. I'll take you to him right away."

"No, that won't be necessary!" Maes exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "We're just here to see Schiezka, thank you."

The receptionist blinked and then smiled. "Certainly, follow me".

They walked down bland and quiet corridors, their footsteps echoing in the empty spaces. They hardly saw any other military staff, and the ones they did see where of very low ranks. The military building was a complete maze and Sara was sure that even with her brother and friend, they would not be able to find their way back out without assistance. After a few knocks at locked doors, they finally found a small be-speckled woman perched on the top of a tall ladder in the central library facility. Her hair was untidy, her head tilted to one side as she poured over a thick leather bound book. She wobbled as she spotted them in the doorway.

The receptionist cleared her throat as Schiezka carefully made her way down the step ladder, clutching the thick book tightly to her chest.

"You have visitors, Warrant Officer," the receptionist said, before taking her leave and disappearing down the corridor.

Schiezka brushed herself down and placed the book she had been absorbed in on her desk, which was also piled high with books. She smiled nervously.

"Well, I wasn't expecting such lovely visitors this afternoon. Master Maes, does your father know you're here?" she asked.

Maes frowned. "No, and he doesn't need to know."

Schiezka stood awkwardly and glanced at the telephone on her desk. "I had better give him a call-"

"Miss Schiezka?" Edmund interjected. "We won't take much of your time: we're just after a book or two about notable figures in recent history for an assignment, and we weren't sure who we should study. Seeing as your knowledge is incomparable to anyone, I thought you would be the best person to ask," he gave her a genuine smile, to which Sara rolled her eyes. Her brother was known for being a flirt in a flattering way.

Schiezka's features softened and she eventually nodded. "Alright, I don't see why not. I would love to help." She beckoned them over towards her. "Master Maes, why don't you research your father? There's lots of material about him. He is the youngest man to ever reach the rank of General, you know..."

Maes sighed, "I know that, but I would rather not go for the obvious choice. Might get marked down, you know?"

Sara took out her notebook out of her satchel as Maes and Schiezka discussed a few other options. She leant against Schiezka's desk and casually skimmed over the documents open. To the right was a photo of a grinning man in military uniform with glasses and short cropped hair, with a friendly arm around Schiezka's shoulders, who looked incredibly uncomfortable and much younger.

Sara looked up. "Who are you with in that photo, Schiezka?"

Schiezka paused, a soft smile crossing her face. "That's Maes Hughes: the man who gave me this job." she then clapped her hand to her mouth and glanced at the three of them. "Oh, did you know you're named after him, Master Maes?" she said.

He looked at her, mouth open. He reached passed Sara and picked up the photo and examine the picture. "Who is he?" he asked.

Schiezka dropped her gaze. "You were never told about him?" she sighed. "Perhaps it is right you knew: it will make your project interesting, unless General Mustang disagrees... perhaps I should just call him..."

As Maes and Edmund began to insist that it would be fine to not let General Mustang know, Sara walked around the room, randomly pulling books off the shelf and replacing them. Most contained documents, case studies and files on standard military procedure, including expense forms. Peering through one absent mindedly, she paused when she saw her mothers name. Sara, glanced over he shoulder to see Edmund and Maes still in a heated debate with Schiezka. Carefully, Sara returned her attention to the document and narrowed her eyes as she skimmed the information. It read about her mother's details and of Sara and Edmund's great grandmother, Pinako. There were signatures and Sara recognized her mothers and underneath was the signature of Roy Mustang...

"Ed..." Sara called quietly. Moments later Edmund joined her, leaving Maes to fight for his secrecy.

"What have you found?" he asked noting the official documents.

Sara took a deep breath, attempting to register what she was reading. "Ed, these are documents for military finances for mum, from just before we were born."

Edmund frowned. "But mum wasn't in the military, was she?"

Sara shook her head. "Neither where her parents, or anyone from the Rockbell family."

They paused. "Perhaps it was because our grandparents were killed in the Ishval war...?" Edmund thought aloud.

She shook her head. "No, there's no mention of Ishval." Sara continued to read the document. "It talks about unborn children... that must mean us. So mum was pregnant with us when this was being processed... but how was she allowed financial support?"

"Wait, what does that say? Just there, above General Mustang's signature?" he pointed.

" _In absence of Major Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist (due to the events of The Gate) this financial support is given to his unborn children's mother, Winry Rockbell and is supported by Colonel Roy Mustang_..." Sara read. The room fell silent. She turned to see Schiezka and Maes looking at them both. Edmund didn't move. Sara shivered and felt as if she had plunged into a pool of ice.

"Where did you find that?" Schiezka asked quietly.

Neither of them answered. Sara looked up at her brother, who was gripping the paperwork tightly, crinkling the paper. She gently pried the paper out of his hands and tried to flatten it, quickly scanning the contents once again before looking up.

"Who is the Fullmetal Alchemist, Schiezka?" Sara asked.

Schiezka failed to meet Sara's gaze and looked at the floor. Eventually she mumbled, "you should've been told."

"What does that mean?" Sara asked, her hands shaking.

Suddenly Edmund turned and glared at the small woman. "Schiezka, give us everything you have on the Fullmetal Alchemist. Now." he said, dangerously quiet.

"I... I'm not sure I can," she stuttered. "It's not my place." and with that she reached behind Maes, and grabbed the receiver of the phone and dialed a number.

"What are you doing?" Edmund demanded, striding forwards.

Schiezka ignored him and whispered into the phone. "yessir... they know. Please, you must... yessir... I didn't... yes of course, sir..."

Edmund pulled the receiver out of Schiezka's hands and slammed it down. "Give us the information, please," he said.

Maes stepped forward. "Ed, it's not worth it. Schiezka can't help us."

Edmund glanced at Maes. "She knows things we ought to know. And she will tell us, won't you?"

"Ed, please", Sara hissed. "Clearly Schiezka cannot tell us anything. You're going to get her in trouble."

"So what?" Edmund shouted, glaring at Sara, making her feel small. Her brother often had quite a temper and being on the receiving end was not very pleasant.

Thankfully, Maes was used to his manner of aggression and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I think we should leave," he said.

Edmund shook his head. "No, not yet. I need to know who Edward Elric is. Sara and I have a right to know."

The door was knocked open, making them all jump. A flood of military police entered the room, quickly followed by a tall dark haired man, to whom the MP's saluted. Maes groaned.

General Roy Mustang gazed around the room, his sharp gaze piercing at each of them. Edmund stepped away from Schiezka, who was sweating nervously. General Mustang strode towards his son, taking the photo of Maes Hughes and Schiezka from his hands. "We'll talk about this later," he said quietly.

Another figure appeared in the door, who Sara recognized as another of her mother's closet friends, Riza Mustang. The tall woman wore no expression on her face but her her eyes betrayed her worry as they flicked between Sara and her brother.

"Perhaps the children should be escorted off the grounds, General?" Riza suggested, saluting General Mustang.

He nodded. "Yes, an excellent idea Major General Mustang. Will you see to that, Major General?"

Riza nodded. "Of course sir."

"Excellent, now gather your belongings - and only your belongings. You are not to return here without my prior consent, understood?"

Sara mumbled a 'yes sir' in unison with Edmund and Maes and picked up her satchel, carefully slipping the creased document in between the sheets of her notebook. The followed Riza out of the room and back down the many corridors they had been shown down previously. Not one word was said between them until they reached the front gate.

"You should all go home now and not speak a word of this to anyone until they speak of it to you first," she said sternly, her arms crossed. Again, she was expressionless but relaxed as her gaze fell on Edmund. "Don't give your mother a hard time," she added quietly, before turning on her heel back towards the military buildings.

The watched her leave before unanimously releasing a huge sigh of relief. The started to walk back towards their favourite cafe a few streets away. There was small talk and not much else until they were sat in a cosy corner of the cafe.

"Fuck," Edmund said, as their coffee arrived. He stared at his cup, unblinking.

"Ed," Sara hissed, giving an apologetic glance to the waitress who walked away, looking bemused.

They lapsed into silence, drinking their coffee.

"What do we do now? For the assignment I mean?" Maes finally said.

"Fuck the assignment, I say," Edmund said. "I'm going to find out who Edward Elric is."

"And how are you going to do that? I don't think we can just go waltzing back into Central Headquaters." Maes said flatly.

"I don't care. I'm going to find out... damn, if only I had a memory as good as Schiezka's," he mumbled.

Sara spluttered on her coffee, the hot liquid burning her throat. Maes patted her back ash she couched, giving him a grateful smile as she calmed down.

"Ah sorry... thanks Maes." she said gratefully, her face warm. She turned to look at her brother who was watching them closely. She cleared her throat. "Look you don't need a memory like Schiezka's," she said quickly, distracting him. After a dramatic pause, she pulled her notebook out and presented the document to them on the table.

"Sara..." Maes started, looking at her with admiration.

Edmund snatched it up. He began to pour over it, subconsciously stirring his coffee. After a while he lay it back down, his eyes narrowed.

"There's no more useful information there at all," he grumbled.

Sara clicked her tongue. "You're not looking close enough. See here?" she said, pointing to a line on the document. "This says about the events of The Gate, which we have briefly studied, remember? It happened just before we were born."

"Perhaps we can find some information about The Gate then?" Maes suggested.

Edmund sighed. "Yeah, but where from? The school aren't going to let us have it if it's so secret."

Sara spread her hands. "Well mum's good friend Ren Jones is the Assistant Editor at The Central Times and I know that newspapers keep archive copies of their publications."

"How do you know this?" Edmund demanded, glaring at her.

"I pay attention in all of my classes Edmund, unlike you."

Maes held up a hand. "Alright, let's not start this again." After a pause he said so quietly, that Sara struggled to hear him. "Do you think that this Elric guy could be, you know, your... father?"

Sara glanced at Edmund who was looking at her. Eventually she folded up the document and slipped it back into her notebook. "We don't know Maes. Our mother has never talked to us about him."

"Just said he ran off before we were born, the bastard," Edmund spat.

They chewed over their thoughts silently as they finished their coffee.

"Well, I'm going to see Ren. I don't think I've seen her since she babysat us."

The three of them collected their belongings and set off towards the newspaper office.

* * *

Winry pulled across the shutters to her first shop in the north-east part of Central. Her staff had gone home for the day and she had made all of the arrangements for her absence with her store manager who would help oversee her other two stores. Over the years the automail trade had boomed after the incident with The Gate, where many were seriously injured. Her automail was not only convenient for patrons, it was also safe and well made. The Rockbell wasn't just her name, it was now a brand and product. She had built enough reputation to be a high figure of authority on automail and made enough money to expand her business to different parts of the city. Her success was what drove her to forget the past and provide a comfortable upbringing for her children, who were now nearing the age she had been when she had fallen pregnant with them.

Winry flicked off the lights in the shop and retreated to her office where she made a final phonecall to her research team in Resembool. She had converted her grandmother's old house into a research facility for automail and medicine and due to this her automail was far to superior to any others. She had named the research the Pinako Rockbell Research Centre in honor of her grandmother who had passed long ago.

But at this moment, all thoughts of her success in her career were distracted once again by the past. She had not been this flippant and spontaneous since she hears news that Edward was coming back to Central when she was eighteen, and she had fled Resembool just to see him. She smiled to herself as she remembered her folly, but as she looked at the photo on her desk of her twins, she did not regret it. Life had been hard bringing them up by herself but she had friends and her children were her only family. if the suffering of her and what had happened to Edward and herself left her with such happiness in her children, then she reasoned that she would do it all over again to experience the joy of motherhood.

Her phone rang once again, making her jump.

"Rockbell Automail, Miss Rockbell speaking," she said formally, expecting a call from a business client.

"Winry, it's Riza here," was the reply she got instead.

She smiled. "Riza, how are you? It's been a few weeks, I know. I'm terribly sorry: my new shop opened in downtown and there were a few teething troubles."

"I understand, don't you worry about it. But we'll have to catch up about it some other time. Winry, I think Edmund and Sara are learning about Edward," she said bluntly.

Winry's smile, good mood and optimism vanished. "What? How can they?"

"Roy received a call from Schiezka's office saying that 'they knew'. We went down there to find them wound up with Maes and holding a document. I don;t know what it said - the MP's are looking at it - but it must have something as Edmund was demanding information about the Fullmetal Alchemist..."

There was a silence.

Riza coughed. "I'm sorry. I think they need to know the truth."

"The truth?" Winry replied, her mind blank.

"But they need to know, Winry. I know it's hard-"

"I'm sorry Riza, but no you don't. I'm the one who has brought them up, put food on the table and protected them from this."

"But they are nearly adults now. They are nearly the same age as you when you had them."

"And you think I don't know that?" Winry snapped. She pinched her nose and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry Riza, it's just I didn't expect this to happen."

Riza sighed. "You must have. There was no way you could protect them forever."

"The time has never been right to tell them," Winry replied.

"Perhaps this is the right time," Riza said gently. She bade farewell and hung up, leaving Winry alone in the office, the only noise mixing with her thoughts, was the empty dial tone from the phone still pressed to her ear.


End file.
